Doha: Qatar's U18 national basketball team is preparing to face Oman on Wednesday at Al Gharafa Sports Hall in the ongoing Gulf qualifiers for the FIBA U18 Asia Cup. This tournament is a critical pathway leading to the Asian finals scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad, India, next month.
According to Qatar News Agency, Qatar's team is entering the matchup with confidence after securing consecutive victories in the tournament's initial rounds. They began their campaign with a closely contested 80-76 win over Saudi Arabia, followed by a dominant 81-53 victory against Kuwait. These wins have propelled Qatar to second place in the standings with four points, just behind Bahrain, who leads with six points.
Qatar is aiming to extend their winning streak to three games, which would significantly enhance their prospects of securing one of the two coveted spots for the FIBA U18 Asia Cup finals. Oman, on the other hand, comes into the game with three points, having achieved a narrow 62-59 victory over Kuwait in their opening match but suffered a heavy 94-49 defeat to Bahrain in their second outing.
In another fixture on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia will compete against Kuwait. Both teams are in need of a victory to maintain their hopes of qualification, with Kuwait currently holding three points and Saudi Arabia having two.
The Gulf qualifiers are being hosted in Doha from July 25 to 30, organized by the Qatar Basketball Federation. The event features teams from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, competing in a single round-robin format where each team plays four games. The top two teams will earn the opportunity to compete in the FIBA U18 Asia Cup finals.
This event is part of Qatar's broader strategy to host significant sporting events ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027, marking the first time this event will be held in the Middle East and North Africa region.