Tribune News Network
Doha
The Qatar basketball team secured a hard-fought victory in their second match of the 12th King Abdullah II International Basketball Cup, as they edged Palestine 74-72 in extra time. This match took place on Sunday evening at the Prince Hamzah Hall in Al Hussein Youth City, located in the Jordanian capital of Amman.
The match with quarters 11-11, 21-15, 16-19, and 15-18, while the extra period ended 11-9 in favour of Qatar. The tournament, now in its 12th edition, follows a single-stage league format and serves as a preparatory event for the four participating teams ahead of the double qualifiers for the Asian Cup, scheduled to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the 2027 World Cup in Doha.
Qatar had earlier scored a 75-66 win over Syria, while the Palestinian team had lost their opening match to hosts Jordan 80-92.
The tournament presents a significant opportunity for the Qatari team to enhance their players’ readiness prior to the Asian qualifiers for the 2025 Saudi Asian Cup. Following their second victory, the Qatari team is set to compete in their final match against Jordan on Monday.
The Qatar team’s preparations will continue with a match against Indian team on November 21 as part of the 2025 Asian Cup qualifiers in India, followed by a match against Iran in Doha on November 25 at Al Gharafa Hall.
The team includes: Omar Mohamed Saad, Mustafa Fouda, Mahmoud Darwish, Khaled Rushdi, Babacar Dieng, Nadim Muslik, Mohamed Bashir, Tyler James Lee Harris, Aladji Boubou Magassa, Ndaye Elhaj Sidou, Abdullah Yassin Musa, Mustafa Ndaw.
The Qatar team’s mission in Jordan is headed by Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari, Secretary-General of the Qatar Basketball Federation, and the administrative and technical staff includes Jassim Ashkanani (team manager), Nabil Juma (team administrator), in addition to the technical staff led by Turkish coach Hakan Demir and his assistants.