Bahrain’s Muzamil making regional basketball history

TDT | Manama                                        

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Bahraini basketball player Muzamil Ameer Hamoda is set to make regional sporting history this week by becoming the first Gulf national to play in “March Madness”— the Division I men’s basketball tournament of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the US.

Muzamil is a part of the men’s basketball team of his school, Utah State University (USU), who are one of 68 sides competing in the widely popular knockout basketball competition.

Muzamil and the USU “Aggies”, as they are known, are in the tournament’s South Regional bracket, where they are seeded 10th.

They will face off with seventh seeds Missouri in the first round.

The game is scheduled for tomorrow, US time.

Muzamil is making the most of this historic opportunity after being granted a scholarship in line with the vision of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, His Majesty the King’s representative for humanitarian works and youth affairs and Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS) president, and His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, SCYS first deputy president, General Sports Authority chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee chief, to support and encourage Bahraini athletes to achieve in academics and sport.

The former Manama Club standout and member of the Kingdom’s national team expressed his great pride in this achievement in his young basketball career.

He stressed that it is the result of the backing of HH Shaikh Nasser and HH Shaikh Khalid for all Bahraini sporting talents, and their interest to send young athletes to foreign universities to further excel.

Muzamil also praised the interest and follow-up of his situation from Mohammed al Ajmi, advisor to the SCYS president and Bahrain Basketball Association national teams committee chairman. Muzamil added: “This wonderful achievement motivates me to double my efforts to reach the highest levels.

“I am going through a unique experience that combines educational attainment and sports, and I will strive to be the best ambassador for my country.

“I look forward to representing the national team again and showing a bright image of Bahrain basketball.”

Muzamil first made history in 2021 when he became the Kingdom’s first student-athlete to play in Division I basketball under the NCAA.