Qatar's Alen Hadzibegovic scores with a dunk against Japan.
Doha: The 2025 International Friendly Basketball Tournament, hosted by the Qatar Basketball Federation, will wrap up today, with two exciting matches at the Lusail Multipurpose Arena.
The first game, pitting Saudi Arabia against Japan, is scheduled for 7:00 PM, followed by the final match at 9:00 PM, where hosts Qatar will face Iraq, bringing the curtain down on this year’s tournament.
The competition featured four teams: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Iraq. Qatar’s national team delivered impressive performances, highlighted by an 82-78 victory over Saudi Arabia in the opening match.
Despite falling 92-103 to Japan in the second round, the team, under the guidance of Turkish coach Hakan Demir, showed clear signs of technical and physical improvement. Alen Hadzibegovic stood out for Qatar, scoring 24 points against Japan, while Japan’s Yudai Nishida led his team with 21 points.
Saudi Arabia also secured a commanding 91-76 win over Iraq, heightening the stakes for the closing matches.
The tournament was attended by key figures, including Mohammed bin Saad Al Mughaiseeb, President of the Qatar Basketball Federation, Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari, Secretary-General and National Teams Director, alongside members of the basketball community and heads of the participating teams’ delegations.
This friendly tournament serves as a vital preparatory step for Qatar’s national team as they gear up for the 31st FIBA Asia Cup 2025, set to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from August 5 to 17, 2025, with 16 teams from across the continent.
Qatar has been placed in Group A alongside Australia, South Korea, and Lebanon. Group B consists of Guam, Japan, Syria, and Iran, while Group C includes China, Jordan, India, and Saudi Arabia.
Group D comprises Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, Iraq, and the Philippines.
The Asia Cup will follow a group-stage format, with the top team from each group advancing directly to the quarterfinals. Teams finishing second and third in each group will compete in crossover playoff matches to determine the remaining quarterfinalists.
