Bahrain gear up for FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain has named a 16-player squad for their preparations for the third and final window in qualification for the FIBA Asia Cup 2021.
The qualifiers for Groups D and F are to be held in the Kingdom from next Thursday to February 22 at the Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town.
The Bahrainis will be playing twice in this period, first against Group D leaders Lebanon on Saturday next week and then against Iraq two nights later.
The nationals have already qualified for this year’s FIBA Asia Cup, but are still looking to end the qualification process on a high note. National team head coach Sam Vincent’s 16-player roster includes Mohammed Qurban, Maitham Jameel, Hesham Sarhan and Subah Hussain from defending Bahrain league champions Al Ahli; Mohammed Hussain, Ahmed Salman, Mohammed Ameer, Hasan Nowrooz and Ahmed Najaf from Manama; Mohammed Juma’a, Mohammed Buallay, Ali Rabea and Mohammed Kuwayed from Muharraq; Abdulrahman Ghali from Al Hala; and Ali Jaber and CJ Giles from Al Najma.
Both Subah Hussain and Rabea will not be continuing with the team for this period due to different reasons.
Coach Vincent is being supported by assistant coaches Ayoub Haji and Ayman Hamza.
Bahrain is in Group D of qualification with Lebanon, India and Iraq; while Group F features Jordan, Kazakhstan, Palestine and Sri Lanka.
The national delegations of India, Jordan and Palestine have already arrived in the Kingdom. Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Lebanon and Iraq are scheduled to reach the Kingdom on Sunday or later.
There is a packed 12-game schedule to be played over five days.
The upcoming games in the Kingdom will be the second time Bahrain is hosting a qualifying window for the FIBA Asia Cup 2021.
Last November and December, qualifiers for both Groups D and A (Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand) were held.
Bahrain registered back-to-back wins during that period, first against Iraq in overtime and then over India.
The hosts are currently second in Group C with a 3-1 win-loss record.
Lebanon is the leaders with a 4-0 mark, while India has one win in four games and Iraq are bottom of the table with four losses.
Jordan is atop Group F with two wins from as many outings, followed by Kazakhstan and Palestine, who have identical 1-1 win-loss records, and Sri Lanka, who are still winless with two losses.
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