Bahrain squad named for Asia Cup qualifiers

TDT | Manama                                                       

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain announced yesterday their final 12- man senior men’s national basketball team roster for their first two games in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, which get underway today. The Bahrainis tip off their bid against their counterparts from the UAE at home.

The game is scheduled for a 7pm start at Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town. Bahrain Basketball Association president Captain Waleed Al Alawi has directed to give free entry for fans to the game. Head coach Ricard Casas has selected his final team for the two fixtures, which includes a qualifier against Lebanon on Monday next week in Beirut.

The squad includes Ali Shukrallah, Ali Jaber, Mohammed Buallay, Alwatheq Ali, Murtadha Salman, Ali Aqeel, Maitham Jameel, Abbas Al Basri, Mohammed Ameer, Wayne Chism, Mustafa Hussain, and Abdulqader Thani.

Bahrain are in Group F for the qualifiers, which also includes Syria, whom they only play for the first time in November later this year. There are 24 participating national steams divided into six groups of four nations each for this first stage of qualification.

These squads will vie for just 16 places at the final tournament. Games are being played over three windows, the first being held this month, the next in November, and then again in February of 2025. The top two teams of each group qualify for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025, while the six third-placed teams will play another qualifying tournament for the final four places.

Group A includes Thailand, Australia, South Korea and Indonesia. Group B features Chinese-Taipei, Hong Kong, the Philippines and New Zealand; while Group C comprises China, Guam, Japan and Mongolia. In Group D are Iraq, Jordan, Palestine and Saudi Arabia; and Group E are Iran, Kazakhstan, India and Qatar. The FIBA Asia Cup is the continent’s premier basketball tournament, including teams from FIBA Asia as well as from FIBA Oceania.

Australia are the two-time defending champions. Bahrain are looking to qualify for the event for the 10th time. As part of their lead-up to the qualifiers, the nationals played in the Qatar International Basketball Championship last week in Doha. Bahrain were one of six national teams in the event. The others were hosts Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Central African Republic.