The UAE national basketball team achieved a well-deserved victory over the Syrian team, which featured naturalized players, with a score of 61-63 in their first match of the international tournament in Indonesia. This victory continues a strong performance that began in Kuwait last year when they won the Gulf title and further progressed at the beginning of this year in Doha by reaching the final stage of the Asian competition.
The quartet of Qais Omar, Hamad Abdul Latif, Rashid Al Zaabi, and Omar Khalid successfully imposed their rhythm and excelled against the naturalized players of the Syrian team. Qais scored the highest with 17 points, followed by Hamad with 13, Rashid with 12, and Omar Khalid with 8. The UAE team also excelled in offensive rebounds, securing 16 compared to 13 for the Syrian team.
The Syrian team led in the first quarter (14-18) and the third quarter (20-21), while our team excelled in the second quarter (10-15) and the final quarter (12-14). The team will meet the Indonesian Olympic team on Friday evening due to an adjustment made by the technical committee, and it will conclude its matches on Saturday against the first Indonesian team.
In a related context, Lt. Gen. M. Ismail Al Qargawi, President of the Arab and UAE Basketball Federations, congratulated the delegation in Indonesia through a phone call with the Head of the Delegation, Vice President Abdul Latif Al Fardan, praising the performance of the players and the technical and administrative staff led by head coach Munir Ben Habib. He emphasized the continuous development in the performance and level of the team, which is preparing to participate in the William Jones International Tournament in Taichung, China, and the final Asian stage.
