Doha [Qatar], April 5: Qatar's national basketball team will take on China in a highly anticipated quarter-final clash of the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup in Singapore on Sunday.
The Qatari squad entered the knockout stage with strong ambitions to continue their journey in one of the most competitive editions of the tournament, which brings together elite teams from across Asia and Oceania.
The championship features 22 participating teams: Mongolia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Tonga, Thailand, Turkmenistan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Macau, the Maldives, and Qatar.
Qatar advanced from Group D after an impressive opening victory against India, winning 16-11.
The team imposed its style early with disciplined defense and organized offense, capitalizing on close-range opportunities under the basket while neutralizing India's key players.
In their second match, Qatar faced a tougher challenge against New Zealand, one of the continent's strongest teams, and fell 11-21. With these results, Qatar finished second in Group D behind New Zealand, with both teams securing spots in the knockout stage.
Meanwhile, China progressed from Group B. They opened with a narrow 19-21 loss to Malaysia in a tightly contested game decided in the final moments, before bouncing back with a crucial 21-15 win over Australia to book their place in the quarter-finals.
The Qatari delegation in Singapore is led by Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari, Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Federation and Director of National Teams, alongside Captain Yaseen Ismail, Director of the 3x3 National Teams. The squad is coached by Marco and includes players Mohammed Hashem Zidan, Mubarak Jama, Dejan Janic, and Nedim Muslic.
Source: Qatar Tribune
