Qatar will take on India today in the crucial quarter-final classification match of the seventh edition of FIBA Asian Under-16 Basketball Championship at the Al Gharafa Hall.
Qatar secured their place in this match after finishing third in their group, with Japan and Iran taking the top two spots and Saudi Arabia coming in fourth.
In their opening group match, Qatar scored a 91-82 win over Saudi Arabia. However, they faced defeat in the second round against Japan (68-93), and in the third round against Iran, the hosts won 86-65.
The tournament features the participation of 16 teams, divided into four groups. Qatar are in Group B alongside Iran, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. Group A consists of Australia (the defending champions), India, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka, while Group C includes New Zealand, Korea, South Bahrain, and Jordan. Group D comprises the Philippines, China, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan.
The Asian Championship serves as a qualifying stage for the U-17 World Championship, which will be hosted by Turkey from June 29 to July 7, 2024.
The top four finishers in the Asian Championship will directly qualify for the Junior World Cup in Turkey. So far, Egypt, Guinea, Spain, Italy, Lithuania, France, Germany, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the host country Turkey have secured their spots.
Mohamed Saad al-Mughaiseeb, President of the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF), has expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the Asian Under-16 Championship.
He has emphasized that the competition is fierce and exhilarating and everyone is enjoying the exceptional atmosphere and excitement. Al-Mughaiseeb further stated that it was evident how well-prepared the teams participating in the Asian Championship are, and their strong desire to compete for the title.
The QBF president also said that the federation is actively seeking to identify talented individuals and integrate them into global training camps. These individuals will undergo an intensive training programme and participate in various tournaments.
He expressed his pride in organizing the championship and the accolades received from all the participants at the Asian Junior Championship.
He assured that QBF will provide unwavering support to the age groups in order to cultivate promising teams for the future and will continuously strive to create a suitable and ideal environment for the next stage.
