Qatar's Tameem Ashraf Abuissa (right) prepares to shoot.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar team made a strong start in the Gulf Qualifiers for the FIBA U18 Asian Championship, defeating Saudi Arabia in their opening match of the tournament, which is being hosted in Doha. The competition features Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
Qatar secured an 80-76 victory in a thrilling contest at Al Gharafa Sports Hall. Both teams produced closely fought performances, with Saudi Arabia making the stronger start before Qatar rallied to take control and claim their first two points of the qualifiers, boosting their chances of securing one of the two direct berths to the continental finals.
The game began cautiously, reflecting the importance of the opening round in the single-round league format, where each team plays only four matches. Saudi Arabia imposed its rhythm early to take the first quarter 18-15. Qatar responded in the second quarter, tightening its defense and improving its offense to win the period 15-11 and level the scores. The hosts maintained their momentum after the break, taking the third quarter 21-17, while Saudi Arabia edged the fourth 30-29.
Qatar's Abdulla Yassin Mousa (right) in action.
Qatar’s Abdullah Yassin finished as the game’s top scorer with 24 points, while Ali Al-Somal led Saudi Arabia with 21 points.
The victory also provided a major confidence boost for Qatar ahead of its remaining matches against its Gulf rivals.
In another match, Bahrain underlined its title credentials with a commanding 106-51 victory over Kuwait, securing its second straight win after defeating Saudi Arabia 62-54 in its opener.
Bahrain dominated all four quarters to strengthen its position at the top of the standings. Meanwhile, Oman edged Kuwait 62-59 in the tournament's opening game after a closely contested encounter.
Bahrain leads the standings with four points from two wins, followed by Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, all with two points.
The qualifiers continue today, with Oman taking on Bahrain at 5pm, followed by Qatar against Kuwait at 7pm at Al Gharafa Sports Hall. After a rest day, action resumes on Wednesday, with Saudi Arabia facing Kuwait at 5pm and Qatar meeting Oman at 7pm.
The tournament concludes on Thursday, with Oman playing Saudi Arabia at 5pm before Qatar takes on Bahrain at 7pm in a match that could decide the qualifying places.
The Gulf Qualifiers are being played in a single-round league format, with teams receiving two points for a win and one point for a loss.
The top two teams will qualify for the FIBA U18 Asian Championship in Ahmedabad, India, this August.
The continental tournament will also serve as a qualifier for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2027 in the Czech Republic, with four teams earning places.
