BASKETBALL – Bahrain's youth men’s basketball national team suffered a crushing 47-141 loss to three-time defending champions Australia yesterday in their opening game of the Fiba U16 Asia Cup 2025, which tipped off in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The Bahrainis, who are reigning Arab and Gulf Basketball Association (GBA) champions, were given a rude awakening by the continental powerhouses, who are gunning for a fourth straight crown.
The nationals were already behind by 30 points, 11-41, at the end of the opening period and they never recovered.
They trailed by as many as 95 late in the contest as they were held to just nine points in the fourth quarter.
Yousif Yaqoob Meshaei finished as Bahrain’s leading scorer with 13 points, while Arab championship Most Valuable Player Somto Patrick Onoduenyi added 11 points, seven rebounds, and five blocks as their only other player in double figures.
Luke Roland Paul had 20 to pace the Australians, who had all 11 of their players who got court time make it onto the score sheet – eight of whom scored no less than 12 points.
With the result, the Bahrainis dropped to last place in Group A.
In yesterday’s other divisional clash, Lebanon ousted India 95-73.
The Bahrainis, coached by Tunisian tactician Racem Marzougui, will be looking to bounce back today when they face off with the Lebanese in their second assignment, scheduled for a 9am tip-off, Bahrain time.
They then complete their preliminary round schedule tomorrow against their Indian counterpart, also at 9am, Bahrain.
After a single round-robin, the four group winners will move on directly to the quarter-finals, while the teams ranked second and third in each pool will play in a play-off round on Thursday.
Bahrain are one of 16 youth men’s national teams competing in the tournament.
Group B is composed of New Zealand, the Philippines, Chinese Taipei, and Indonesia; Group C features China, South Korea, Malaysia, and hosts Mongolia; and Group D comprises Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Saudi Arabia, who are the other GBA representatives.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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