MANAMA, July  13: The Kuwait junior basketball team finished in third place at the Gulf Under-16 Basketball Championship after falling to Saudi Arabia 73-50 in the final round. The tournament concluded at Zain Hall in Umm Al Hassam, Bahrain.

With this result, Kuwait narrowly missed qualification for the 2025 Asian Cup Finals in Mongolia, which was secured by the top two teams—champion Bahrain and runners-up Saudi Arabia.

The Bahraini team dominated the tournament, winning all four of its matches to top the standings with 8 points. Saudi Arabia followed with 7 points to claim the second qualifying spot. Kuwait, known as the "Blue Youth," finished third with 6 points, followed by the UAE (5 points) and Oman (4 points).

Kuwait had a promising start with a win over the UAE in their opening match, but suffered a setback in the second round against Bahrain. A victory over Oman in the third round kept their hopes alive, but the decisive loss to Saudi Arabia in the final round ended their qualification campaign.

The championship highlighted Bahrain's commanding form, winning every match by a wide margin. Saudi Arabia also impressed, earning a well-deserved spot in the Asian Cup Finals. For Kuwait, the tournament exposed the need for further development to remain competitive in future regional and continental competitions.

At the closing ceremony, Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa—First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of the General Sports Authority, and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee—joined Kuwaiti Basketball Association President Dhari Barjas and several Gulf federation officials in awarding the top three teams.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff