Kazma and Shabab Al-Ahli players fight for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 18: Kuwait’s national basketball team is set to play two friendly matches against Thailand on November 24 and 26 at the Basketball Federation Hall in the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex. The games are part of the Federation’s preparation plan to ready Al-Azraq Basketball for upcoming competitions and to develop players’ skills in competitive matches.

The team is led by Serbian coach Oliver Kostić and his assistant, national coach Khaled Al-Qallaf, as the coaching staff works to ensure the squad is fully prepared for future tournaments.

Meanwhile, Kazma suffered a 65-68 loss to Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai in the third round of Group A of the West Asia Super Basketball League – Gulf Zone, played earlier this week.

Following the defeat, Kazma sits in third place with 4 points, from one win and two losses, just ahead of Bahrain’s Al-Muharraq, which has the same point total but a lower goal difference. Saudi club Al-Ittihad leads the group with 5 points from two wins and one loss, ahead of Shabab Al-Ahli on goal difference.

According to the tournament format, group winners advance directly to the semifinals, while the second and third-placed teams face off in a playoff match to determine the remaining semifinalists. The two finalists will then advance to compete with teams from Central Asia in the final stages of the championship.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff