Manama book FIBA WASL semi-final berth

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain champions and reigning FIBA WASL title-holders Manama have booked their direct berth to the Gulf sub-zone semi-finals of the 2023/2024 FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL).

This was confirmed after Kazma of Kuwait claimed a 91- 83 victory over Shabab Al Ahli Dubai of the UAE on Tuesday night in the Emirate.

The result secured first place for Manama on the Group B standings with one fixture still to play—a home clash against Shabab Al Ahli on Tuesday next week. Regardless of the result of that outing, Manama are through to the Gulf final four, as they are undefeated in their five games so far.

Their last win earlier this week was a resounding 130-83 rout of Al Shamal of Qatar in Doha.

Head coach Linos Gavriel said after the win: “It is very important always to get a win on the road. We prepare ourselves every game because we don’t like like to underestimate nobody.

“We want to be humble and keep on improving and developing our identity.

The guys did a good job sharing the ball with 41 assists...We will keep growing.”

Only the top seeds from each of the two pools in this preliminary round qualify directly to the best-of-three semi-finals.

The second and third-ranked teams will play for the other berths, also in a best-of-three clash. Manama thus have to wait to learn of their rivals.

The top three in the Gulf subzone will then make it to the FIBA WASL Final Eight along with the best trio from the WASL West Asia sub-zone and the champion teams from South Asia and Central Asia.

Manama are one of two Bahraini sides in this year’s FIBA WASL.

Muharraq are the other, and they are currently tied on points on the table with Kuwait SC of Kuwait, but with an inferior points differential.

The winners of that pool, who will earn the other outright semis berth, will be determined on Monday next week, when Kuwait host Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia in Kuwait City and Muharraq take on Al Rayyan of Qatar at Khalifa Sports City Arena.