BASKETBALL – Bahrain's youth men’s basketball national team take on their counterparts from the Philippines today in a play-off for the quarter-finals of the Fiba U16 Asia Cup in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The nationals qualified for the contest after finishing second in Group A of the competition’s preliminary round, behind only three-time defending champions Australia and ahead of Lebanon and India.
The Bahrainis lost their opening fixture of the tournament against the Australians but then bounced back with successive victories over the Lebanese and Indians.
Those results earned them their place in the play-off round, where they are joined by Lebanon, while Australia advanced directly to the elite eight.
Bahrain’s game against the Filipinos – who finished third in Group B with one win from their three fixtures – is scheduled for a 6.30am start, Bahrain time.
It will be played at M bank arena in the Mongolian capital. The winner of their contest will move on to face China, who were winners of Group C in the preliminaries.
In today’s other play-off contests, Lebanon face Chinese Taipei at 9am, South Korea take on Kazakhstan at 11.30am, and Iran face Malaysia at 2pm. All times are Bahrain.
Along with Australia and China, New Zealand and Japan are the two other sides awaiting their quarter-final opponents.
Bahrain’s youth men’s squad, coached by Tunisian tactician Racem Marzougui, held a practice session yesterday ahead of today’s do-or-die clash.
They have been spearheaded in the continental competition so far by twin towers Somto Patrick Onoduenyi and Hassan Abdulkadir.
The pair have been a force for Bahrain, combining for an average of more than 40 points and 30 rebounds per game in their three contests – with Abdulkadir posting 22.5 points per game and 15.0 rebounds and Onoduenyi registering 21.3 points and 16.0 boards.
Onoduenyi, who was the Most Valuable Player in Bahrain’s title triumph at the 22nd U16 Arab Basketball Championship for Youth in Cairo, Egypt, last month, has also been turning heads in the Fiba Asia competition.
“To grow through the sport and be part of the Bahrain national team is a true honour,” Onoduenyi told the fiba.basketball website. “Bahrain gave me the opportunity to shine and represent something bigger than myself, and I feel proud every time I wear the jersey.
“My dream is to reach the highest level I can personally, but also to help Bahrain basketball keep growing. I want us to compete with the top teams in Asia, and one day, be known as a country that produces talent and plays with heart.”
Following today’s elimination contests, the quarters are scheduled to take place tomorrow.
The semi-finals are then scheduled for Saturday, to be followed by the gold and bronze medal games on Sunday.
Classification contests will also be held on the tournament’s last two days.
The Fiba U16 Asia Cup 2025, which is in its eighth edition, also acts as a qualifier for the Fiba U17 Basketball World Cup 2026, which will be held in Türkiye. The top four teams from Ulaanbaatar will earn their berths in Istanbul.
This year’s Fiba U16 Asia Cup marks its eighth edition.
Bahrain are playing for the sixth time and for the third straight tournament.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))