BASKETBALL – BAHRAIN named yesterday the final 12-player roster that will be taking to the hardwood in the upcoming 44th William Jones Cup.
The prestigious tournament is scheduled to be held in Chinese Taipei from Saturday to July 20, with nine top teams from across the continent competing in the men’s event.
The kingdom’s senior men’s national team will be joined by their counterparts from Japan, Australia, Malaysia, the UAE, and Chinese Taipei, while Chinese Taipei’s national development team, the Qatar B team, and defending champions Strong Group Athletics from the Philippines are also in the fray.
Bahrain head coach Georgios Vovoras from Greece has selected a squad that is near full strength. The Bahrainis are to be led by talented guards Mustafa Hussain and Ahmed Salman, forwards Mohammed Ameer, Subah Hussain, Mohammed Buallay, and Ali Jaber, and naturalised players Wayne Chism and JaKarr Sampson.
The roster is completed by Mahmood Abbas, Ali Hussain, Ahmed bin Deina, and Abdulqader Thani.
The William Jones Cup is one of the most renowned and popular international basketball tournaments in Asia. It is organised by the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association, and it is being used by some of the participating squads as a tune-up to the Fiba Asia Cup 2025, which will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, next month.
Bahrain are set to play eight highly competitive games in the event. They begin their campaign on the opening day of play on Saturday against continental powerhouses Japan, and then take on Chinese Taipei’s national development team on Sunday. They then play Malaysia on Monday, and then face juggernauts Australia on Tuesday.
The following four days, from Wednesday to Saturday next week, respectively, the nationals take on the UAE, Qatar’s B team, Chinese Taipei’s national team, and Strong Group Athletics.
The nationals have been gearing up for this year’s William Jones Cup with local training sessions under Vovoras.
They played a couple of friendly games locally against the UAE, both held at Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town. The Bahrainis won the first contest 101-71 and then took another victory 94-76 in their second friendly clash.
Bahrain will be making their second appearance in the William Jones Cup, following their debut in the 1978 edition.
Their participation in the prestigious tournament aligns with the Bahrain Basketball Association’s strategy to elevate the performance of the national team.
The initiative seeks to enhance player readiness by engaging with elite-level opponents and gaining exposure to varied tactical approaches.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))