Bahrain Stun Lebanon in Final-Second Win at FIBA U16 Asia Cup

Onduenyi delivers as Marzooqi’s team stays in the hunt for the knockout stage

Bahrain pulled off one of the shocks of the FIBA U16 Asia Cup so far, edging Lebanon 70–68 in a nail-biting finish this morning in Mbank Arena, Mongolia. Just one day after a bruising 141–47 defeat to Australia, the young Bahrainis showed remarkable character to stay in contention for the knockout rounds.

A Game of Swings

Bahrain opened brightly, taking the first quarter 22–18 before faltering in the second where Lebanon hit back to grab a 33–31 halftime lead. The third belonged to Lebanon as well, as they stretched the margin to 54–46 behind steady rebounding from Mauricio Abboud.

But the fourth quarter saw Rassem Marzooq’s team dig in. Bahrain poured in 24 points over the final 10 minutes.

Onduenyi Dominates Both Ends

Yet again, Somto Patrick Onduenyi was the difference-maker. The forward posted a towering stat line: 23 points, 23 rebounds, nine blocks, and four steals. His presence around the rim blunted Lebanon’s offense and kept Bahrain alive during their cold spells.

Lebanon’s Charbel El Herera led his side with 17 points, adding four assists and four steals. Abboud cleaned the glass with 18 rebounds but could not prevent Bahrain’s late surge.

Final Quarter Drama

The closing minutes provided pure drama. Trailing 66–64 with just over a minute left, Bahrain tied it from the line through Hussain Fuad Moosa Sharaf Ghuloom before Abboud briefly restored Lebanon’s lead. Then came the decisive sequence: Ali Husain Mohamed buried a clutch three, and Onduenyi followed with back-to-back baskets, including the game-winning layup with four seconds remaining.

Lebanon had two last attempts to answer, but Johnny Sawma’s miss and a turnover sealed Bahrain’s win.

What’s Next

Bahrain's win evens their Group A record at 1–1, setting up an exciting match against India at 9 AM today to wrap up the group stage. The group winners advance directly to the quarter-finals. Teams finishing second and third will contest a play-off on September 4 for a spot in the last eight.