Kowayed named new basketball national team captain

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s superstar forward Mohammed Kowayed has been named the new captain of the senior men’s national basketball team, following the retirement of former skipper Mohammed Qurban from international play.

This was announced by Bahrain Basketball Association nationals teams committee head Mohammed Al Ajmi, who paid a visit to the start of the senior men’s squad’s training. They have begun gearing up for their upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 qualifiers later this month.

As part of their preparations, the Bahrainis travelled yesterday to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia via the King Fahd Causeway for a short overseas camp, during which they will play two international friendly games against their Saudi counterparts today and on Thursday. Bahrain head coach Sam Vincent, a former player and 1986 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, has named a 12-man roster for the camp.

The line-up includes Kowayed, Maitham Jameel and Subah Hussain from defending back-to-back league champions Al Ahli; Ahmed Salman, Mohammed Ameer, Ahmed Najaf and Ali Hussain from Manama; Ali Rabea from Muharraq; Nasser Al Mosawi from Bahrain Club; Ahmed bin Dina from Al Hala; and professionals CJ Giles and Wayne Chism.

Ahli’s Hesham Sarhan and Al Najma’s Ali Jaber will not be present in the Saudi camp, but will be with the nationals when they return to Bahrain for their final preparations for their qualifiers.

The Bahrainis will be taking to the hardwood twice in the last week of February in this opening stage of qualification for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. They first go against Syria on February 24 before playing Kazakhstan on February 27. Both games are set to be played in the Kingdom, and they are a part of the second window of action in Group D.

In the first window last November, the Bahrainis played twice against Iran and lost both games. The third and final window will be in July when they take on Syria in Damascus on July 1, before playing Kazakhstan in Nur-Sultan on July 4. Bahrain must finish amongst the top three in their group to earn a place in the second round of World Cup qualifying