Bahrainis bow to Jordan in Asian U16 basketball

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s youth national basketball team had a disappointing start to the FIBA Asia U16 Championship 2023 in Doha yesterday, losing to their counterparts from Jordan 44- 85.

The nationals trailed early and never recovered, going down by as many as the final margin of 41 points in a one-sided Group C contest.

Ali Altoq scored 12 points to lead the Bahrainis, while Mahdi Ali added 10 and Husain Alsamaheeji finished with nine.

For Jordan, Omar Hijazi was their leading scorer with 18 points, while Faisal Shawwa chipped in with 15. Bahrain and Jordan are joined in Group C by New Zealand and South Korea.

The nationals return to action today against the Koreans at 2.30pm, Bahrain time, and then play the Kiwis tomorrow at 11.30am, also Bahrain.

There are 16 nations in all competing in the tournament.

Group A features Australia, India, Lebanon and Sri Lanka; Group B comprises Iran, Japan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia; and Group D consists of the Philippines, China, Malaysia and Kazakhstan.

At the end of the preliminary stage, the top team from each group moves directly to the quarter-finals, while the second and third-ranked squads go to round two.

This year’s event marks the fifth time Bahrain are competing in the continent’s under-16 tournament.

They also played in the 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2022 editions. The Bahrainis’ best finish was eighth overall in 2013.