Al Nasr of the UAE rekindled its hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals after an exciting victory over the Tunisian national team, winning 80-74 on the fifth day of the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship currently held at the Rashid Bin Hamdan Hall of Al Nasr Club. This marks their second win in Group A, which is led by the defending champions, Lebanese Al Riyadi, with a perfect score of eight points. Following them are three teams, including Al Nasr, the Tunisian team, and Morocco's Sale with six points each from two wins and two losses. Libyan Ahli Benghazi stands fifth with five points from one win. In contrast, Lebanese Al Hikma has exited the tournament after five losses, the latest being against Sale of Morocco yesterday.
In Group B, Philippine Strong and Libyan Ahli Tripoli lead with eight points from four consecutive victories. They are followed by Lebanese Beirut and Homenetmen, each with four points from one win and two losses. The UAE national team and Syrian Al Wahda have three points from three losses.
Media figure Gaea Khoury, nicknamed "Gaga," has established herself in the new formation of Al Hikma as Secretary-General, being part of a sports family closely linked to basketball, including captain Sabah Khoury. Gaga addressed the underlying reasons for her team's poor performance at the Dubai International, stating that the team is currently undergoing a renewal period, including foreign players. It is natural for this to affect their performance and results, and the team requires some time to achieve the necessary cohesion. She is confident that the team will return strong, benefiting from their results in the local league, where they rank second after Al Riyadi, as well as their position in the Asian Championship, having won three matches so far against Iraqi Naft (twice) and Aleppo's Ittihad, while losing to Iran's Gorgan, the group leader.
Gaga expressed gratitude to Al Hikma's fans for their support during these challenging times, urging them to be patient, as the team is set to return strongly and regain its former status and achievements.
