Qatar’s under-18 basketball team opened their campaign with a narrow victory over Saudi Arabia in the Gulf Qualifiers for the FIBA U18 Asian Championship, held in Doha from July 25 to 30. The tournament, featuring national teams from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, operates in a single-round league format, with each team playing four matches.
In a closely contested match at the Al Gharafa Sports Hall, Qatar secured an 80–76 win over Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia started strongly, taking an 18–15 lead after the first quarter. However, Qatar responded in the second quarter by tightening their defense and increasing offensive efficiency, outscoring Saudi Arabia 15–11 to level the game at halftime. The hosts maintained their momentum through the third quarter, winning it 21–17, while Saudi Arabia edged the fourth quarter 30–29.
Qatar’s Abdullah Yassin was the top scorer with 24 points, while Saudi Arabia’s Ali Al Somal contributed 21 points. The win gave Qatar two points in the standings and a boost in confidence as they look to secure one of the two qualification spots for the continental finals in Ahmedabad, India, this August.
Elsewhere, Bahrain demonstrated their dominance with a commanding 106–51 victory over Kuwait. Bahrain, which had already defeated Saudi Arabia 62–54 in their opener, controlled the match from start to finish, winning all four quarters decisively. In the tournament’s opening game, Oman narrowly defeated Kuwait 62–59 in a tightly fought contest marked by lead changes and shifting momentum.
Following these results, Bahrain leads the standings with four points from two wins. Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait each hold two points.
The competition continues with matches scheduled Monday at Al Gharafa Sports Hall: Oman vs. Bahrain at 5 p.m. and Qatar vs. Kuwait at 7 p.m. After a rest day, play resumes Wednesday with Saudi Arabia facing Kuwait at 5 p.m. and Qatar meeting Oman at 7 p.m. The tournament’s final day, Thursday, will feature Oman against Saudi Arabia at 5 p.m. and a potentially decisive match between Qatar and Bahrain at 7 p.m.
The top two teams from the Gulf Qualifiers will advance to the FIBA U18 Asian Championship in India. The Asian Championship will, in turn, select four teams to compete in the 2027 FIBA U19 World Cup in the Czech Republic.