CAIRO, Jan 2: The initial foray of our Kuwait basketball team in the ongoing Arab Basketball Championship in Cairo, Egypt, concluded with a quarter-final loss to the Libyan, 76-89. Egypt, the Emirates, Tunisia, and Libya secured spots in the semi-finals, vying for the coveted Arab title.

Despite securing a quarter-final berth by finishing fourth in Group Two with a solitary win against Morocco and three defeats to Egypt, Tunisia, and the Emirates, Kuwait team exhibited commendable performance throughout the tournament. Despite facing opponents with superior capabilities, Kuwait consistently demonstrated resilience and competitiveness.

In their recent encounter with the Libya, Kuwait initially showcased an impressive performance. However, they faltered in the last two minutes, allowing their opponents to clinch the victory. The first quarter saw a closely contested match, with Kuwaitis holding their ground despite the physical advantage of the towering Libyan players. The quarter concluded with Libya leading 21-18. The second quarter ended in a 39-39, with Alexander Al-Ghais leading the scoring for Kuwait. Although Kuwait took the lead at the start of the third quarter, the Libyan team, fueled by standout performances from Omar Fawaz and Naseem Ismail, managed to secure a 66-60 lead by the end of the quarter. The closely matched performance continued, but Kuwait haste in the last two minutes, coupled with the absence of player Mustafa Al-Rifai, allowed the Libyan team to capitalize on quick counterattacks and extend their lead to 76-89.

Looking ahead, the draw for the cup championships across all age groups for basketball teams is scheduled for today at 6:00 pm at the Federation’s headquarters in the Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Indoor Hall Complex. The Federation has invited clubs to attend the draw activities. Kuwait, the reigning champions, secured their 16th title last season by defeating Al-Qadsia 97-77 in the final match. The tournament, held 57 times, has seen Al-Qadsia winning the title 21 times, Kuwait 16 times, Al-Arabi 9 times, followed by Kazma 3 times, Al-Jahra twice, and Al-Nasr and Al-Sahel once each.

Khaled El Anzi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff