Qatar U-16 basketball team’s seventh-place finish commendable

DOHA: Qatar U-16 basketball team achieved a commendable seventh-place ranking in the Asian U-16 Basketball Championship, a significant improvement from their previous 12th-place ranking in the tournament.

In a remarkable display of skill, the Al Annabi team emerged victorious over the Jordanian team with a commanding 22-point lead, securing a final score of 97-75. At halftime, the Al-Annabi team held an 8-point advantage, leading with a score of 48-40.

During the third quarter, the Al Annabi team further extended their lead by seven points, scoring 26 points compared to the Jordanian team’s 19 points. This lead was maintained until the end of the match, resulting in a final score of 97-75 in favor of the Qatar team.

Meanwhile, the final match concluded with the Australian team emerging triumphant with a score of 79-76. In the preceding match, the Chinese team defeated the Philippine team with a score of 87-59, securing third place and the bronze medals.

The tournament featured the participation of 16 teams, divided into four groups. The Al-Annabi team was placed in the second group alongside Iran, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. The first group consisted of Australia (the defending champion), India, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka, while the third group included New Zealand, Korea, South Bahrain, and Jordan. The fourth group comprised the Philippines, China, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan.

The teams from New Zealand, Australia, China, and the Philippines secured the four Asian spots for the U-17 World Championship, which will be hosted by Turkey from June 29 to July 7, 2024. The teams that will join them in the championship are Egypt, Guinea, Spain, Italy, Lithuania, France, Germany, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the host country, Turkey.