Latest news with #KuwaitBasketballAssociation
Arab Times
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait faces urgent review after poor performance at the Arab Basketball Championship
MANAMA, Aug 3: Kuwait suffered its sixth loss, falling 74-89 to Bahrain in the final round of the 26th Arab Basketball Championship held in Manama. This result placed Kuwait seventh and last in the tournament. This outcome calls for a serious assessment by the Kuwait Basketball Association's officials, a complete overhaul of the training programs, and addressing key weaknesses. Creating the right environment and properly preparing the team is essential for achieving better results in future competitions. Kuwait's squad featured many young players competing at this level for the first time. Injuries to key players Adel Al-Saeed and Hussein Ashkanani also affected the team's performance. However, these factors do not fully explain the disappointing results and overall low standard of play. Most other teams participated with reserve or Olympic squads but still managed to deliver competitive performances and win at least one game. In contrast, Kuwait lost all its matches and failed to show convincing efforts on the court. The impact of Serbian coach Oliver Kostic and his assistant Khaled Al-Qallaf was noticeably missing, despite hopes for improvement following promising performances in previous international events. Algeria was crowned champion after beating Egypt 78-70. Tunisia secured second place by defeating Qatar 79-72. Algeria finished undefeated with six wins, Tunisia came in second, and the UAE earned a notable third place. Bahrain placed fourth, Egypt fifth, Qatar sixth, while Kuwait ended at the bottom of the standings.
Arab Times
30-07-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Barjas commends Bahrain's exceptional hosting of Arab Basketball Championship
MANAMA, July 30: Kuwait Basketball Association President Dhari Barjas praised Bahrain for its outstanding organization of the 26th Arab Basketball Championship, which is set to conclude this Saturday. Barjas emphasized that Bahrain's success in hosting the tournament comes as no surprise, given its long-standing reputation for organizing major sporting events with excellence. He noted that Bahrain stepped in on extremely short notice after Tunisia withdrew from hosting duties, yet still managed to deliver a high-level tournament. 'Bahrain's ability to successfully host this championship under such circumstances highlights its strong organizational capacity,' Barjas said during his visit to the tournament. 'This is also reflected in the confidence shown by the International Basketball Federation, which chose Manama as the venue for its most recent Congress—proof of Bahrain's credibility in hosting major sports events.' Barjas also pointed out the high level of competition, saying that all participating teams came well-prepared, making it difficult to predict a winner. 'I expect the championship race to go down to the final round,' he added. He noted that Kuwait's participation was focused on providing young players the opportunity to gain experience by competing against top Arab teams. He expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, despite the early losses. Barjas also reassured fans about the condition of player Hussein Ashkanani, who suffered a serious shoulder dislocation during the game against Egypt. Ashkanani underwent successful surgery in Bahrain and is now on the path to recovery. Barjas extended his gratitude to Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, for personally covering the cost of the player's treatment. In the fourth round of matches held, Bahrain defeated Egypt 91–85, Algeria beat Qatar 92–66, and Tunisia overcame the UAE 78–70. Tunisia currently leads the standings with 7 points, followed by Algeria, the UAE, and Bahrain with 6 points each. Egypt trails with 5 points, while Kuwait and Qatar share the bottom with 3 points apiece. Kuwait, who had lost its first three matches, played its fourth game late Wednesday night against Algeria. All teams are scheduled to rest today, with tournament action resuming on Friday and concluding Saturday.
Arab Times
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait U-16 basketball team opens Gulf Cup qualifiers against UAE
MANAMA, July 6: Kuwait's Under-16 basketball team will begin its campaign in the Gulf Cup Qualifiers today with a crucial opening match against the United Arab Emirates at 5:00 pm, followed by Bahrain vs. Oman at 7:30 pm. All matches will take place at Umm Al-Hassam Hall in the Bahraini capital. The qualifiers will follow a single round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the Asian Junior Cup Finals scheduled for August in Mongolia. The Kuwaiti squad, led by head coach Dr. Talal Al-Qallaf and assistant Yahya Al-Bahr, enters the tournament after three weeks of local training followed by an intensive training camp in Cairo, where the team played five friendly matches to fine-tune preparations. Among the standout players in the squad are: Abdulaziz Al-Mutawa, Fareej Al-Freej, Omar Al-Saleh, Musaed Al-Obaidi, Mishaal Al-Azmi, Abdulrahman Al-Qatifi, and Abdullah Al-Jarid. Mishaal Mohammed, Board Member of the Kuwait Basketball Association and National Teams Director, expressed confidence in the team's readiness. 'We prepared well, and the training camp was successful. The technical staff worked hard to correct mistakes from the Cairo friendlies and ensure the players are in peak condition. We are aiming to compete for top spots and qualify for the Asian Finals,' he said.
Arab Times
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait U-16 basketball team gears up for Championship with an intensive training camp
KUWAIT CITY, June 11: The Kuwaiti Under-16 basketball team launched its internal training camp as part of its preparations for the upcoming Gulf Championship, set to take place in the Kingdom of Bahrain from July 7 to 12. The tournament will feature six teams: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain (the host), and Kuwait. Mishal Mohammed, Member of the Board of Directors at the Kuwait Basketball Association and Director of National Teams, emphasized the significance of the tournament, noting that it serves as a qualifier for the Asian Championship, scheduled to begin in late August in Mongolia. 'This tournament is crucial as it brings together strong competition and paves the way to Asia,' he stated. The training camp includes 14 players and features two daily sessions—morning and evening. From this group, 12 players will be selected to represent Kuwait in the tournament. Kuwait will compete in Group A alongside Qatar and the UAE, while Group B comprises Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. Mohammed explained that this camp marks the second phase of the team's preparation. The first stage took place in Istanbul, Turkey, last January, where the squad played six friendly matches against Turkish clubs. He praised the players for their strong commitment during that phase. The third and final stage of preparation will begin on June 21 with an external training camp in Cairo, Egypt. There, the team will play six friendly matches against top-level Egyptian teams before traveling to Bahrain for the start of the tournament. Expressing his confidence in the squad, Mohammed described the players as ambitious and hardworking. He voiced hope that the Kuwaiti team would deliver a strong performance in the Gulf Championship and secure a top-two finish, earning qualification for the Asian Championship.
Arab Times
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait U-16 basketball team begins indoor camp ahead of Gulf Championship
KUWAIT CITY, June 9: Kuwait's under-16 basketball team is set to begin an indoor training camp tomorrow as part of its preparations for the upcoming Gulf Championship, which serves as a qualifier for the Asian Cup Finals scheduled to take place in Bahrain from July 7 to 12. The camp will feature 14 promising players, with the coaching staff, led by national team coach Talal Al-Qallaf, expected to select 12 of them to participate in the external camp in Cairo from June 21 to July 5. Ghazi Al-Otaibi, Treasurer of the Kuwait Basketball Association and Head of the National Team Delegation, explained that the team's preparation program has been in place for some time, beginning with a training camp in Istanbul last January. He emphasized the need for specialized physical conditioning due to the players' recent absence from training while they focused on school exams. Al-Otaibi added that during the Cairo camp, the Blues will play six friendly matches, including one against the Egyptian youth team. He stressed that the national team is determined to compete for top positions in the Gulf Championship, especially given Kuwait's consistent podium finishes in recent years at regional tournaments.
