Doha: The technical team of the Qatari national basketball squad, under the guidance of Turkish coach Hakan Demir, has revealed the roster of players set to compete in the Asian qualifiers for the Saudi 2025 Asian Cup Finals.
The Qatari team is set to compete in their first game of the second Asian window against India at 3:30 PM on November 22, taking place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. Following this encounter, they will go up against Iran on November 25 at Al Gharafa Hall. These games are part of Group E, which also features Kazakhstan.
This announcement follows the team’s commendable performance in the twelfth edition of the King Abdullah II International Basketball Cup, which took place at Prince Hamzah Hall in Al Hussein Youth City, Amman, Jordan, from November 16 to 18.
The Qatari team achieved a commendable second place in the tournament, securing victories against the Syrian national team with a score of 75-66 and the Palestinian national team with a score of 74-72. However, they were defeated in the final game by the host nation, the Jordanian national team, with a score of 50-70. This performance marks a significant milestone in the Qatari team’s preparations for the upcoming Asian qualifiers for the 2025 Asian Cup.
The announced list includes 15 players: Omar Mohamed Saad, Mustafa Fouda, Mahmoud Darwish, Khaled Rushdi, Babacar Dieng, Nadim Muslik, Mohamed Bashir, Tyler James Lee Harris, Aladji Boubou Magassa, Ndaye Elhaj Sidou, Abdullah Yassin, Mustafa Ndaw, Mike Lewis, Alen Hadzibegovic, and Donte Grantham.
The team’s mission is headed by Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Federation, along with members of the administrative and technical staff: Jassim Ashkanani, team manager, Nabil Juma, team administrator, in addition to the Turkish Hakan Demir (technical manager), Cengiz Karadag (assistant coach), Sonit Yetim (fitness coach), Gokteg Dalbazar (coach), Ihadji Abdo (assistant coach), Adel Khadir (therapist), Nicasio Sejano (masseur), and Abdel Fattah (mission worker).
Iran lead group E standings with four points, same as Kazakhstan, while the Qatar are in third place with two points, same as the Indian team, who are in fourth place.
The performance in the qualifiers is expected to be decisive for Qatar in their quest to qualify for the 2025 Asian Cup.
