Ghazi Al-Otaibi

KUWAIT CITY, June 9: Kuwait’s under-16 basketball team is set to begin an indoor training camp tomorrow as part of its preparations for the upcoming Gulf Championship, which serves as a qualifier for the Asian Cup Finals scheduled to take place in Bahrain from July 7 to 12.

The camp will feature 14 promising players, with the coaching staff, led by national team coach Talal Al-Qallaf, expected to select 12 of them to participate in the external camp in Cairo from June 21 to July 5.

Ghazi Al-Otaibi, Treasurer of the Kuwait Basketball Association and Head of the National Team Delegation, explained that the team’s preparation program has been in place for some time, beginning with a training camp in Istanbul last January. He emphasized the need for specialized physical conditioning due to the players’ recent absence from training while they focused on school exams.

Al-Otaibi added that during the Cairo camp, the Blues will play six friendly matches, including one against the Egyptian youth team. He stressed that the national team is determined to compete for top positions in the Gulf Championship, especially given Kuwait’s consistent podium finishes in recent years at regional tournaments.