Bahrain’s Historic U18 Basketball Title Hailed by Coach

Bahrain under-18 basketball head coach Rassem Marzooqi has described the national team’s Arab championship win as an “exceptional and historic achievement” for the sport in the kingdom.

The success in Cairo was Bahrain’s first-ever Arab title in basketball, and was secured against a competitive field that included powerhouses Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria.

“This win is the product of years of work,” Marzooqi said. “The value of this title is even greater because it came in Cairo, in front of Egyptian fans and on one of the region’s most historic courts.”

Bahrain’s young stars stayed unbeaten throughout the tournament, having already claimed the Gulf crown and qualified for the FIBA Asia U18 Championship. The coach explained that these milestones boosted the squad’s confidence and strengthened their resolve to achieve the Arab dream.

Marzooqi credited the squad’s long-term development as a group, which he has overseen from the beginning, along with the overseas training camp in Bosnia where they gained valuable match experience and built chemistry.

He highlighted Egypt as their toughest opponents in the competition, with the mental and psychological aspects proving key to overcoming the pressure. He added that Bahrain’s defensive strength and fighting spirit made the difference, helping multiple young talents emerge who could soon reinforce the senior national team.

Among the challenges, Marzooqi pointed to the short turnaround between competitions and a packed schedule of games. He praised the efforts of his technical staff, as well as the backing of Bahrain Basketball Association and the support of HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa.

Looking ahead, Bahrain’s next objective is the FIBA Asia U18 Championship in Mongolia, where Marzooqi hopes the team can advance beyond the group stage. “The key to sustaining these successes,” he said, “is to continue our work through regular gatherings and training camps.”