Bahrain’s 3×3 teams eye strong Asia Cup showing in Singapore

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s men’s and women’s national 3×3 basketball teams are in Singapore today to compete in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026, which runs from April 1–5 at The Kallang. The tournament marks the fifth consecutive year it will be staged in Singapore, one of the sport’s premier continental hosts. Both teams aim to make an impact in the Asia Cup while keeping an eye on qualification for the 2026 FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Warsaw, Poland, from June 1–7.

The men’s team, coached by Murtadha Mohammed, features Naser Almusawi, Isa Jassim, Mohammed Ghazwan, Al Wathiq Ali, and Salman Al Kaabi. Almusawi’s journey is as compelling as his game: a cancer survivor, he returns as a dynamic scoring option capable of sparking momentum shifts with quick bursts of offense. Drawn into Group D of the qualifying stage, Bahrain will face Kazakhstan first, then Hong Kong, and finish against India. With 24 men’s teams competing, early performances will be critical for advancing to the main draw and keeping their pathway to Warsaw alive.

The women’s team, also led by coach Murtadha Mohammed with team administrator Ahmed Elias, includes standout player Bayan Salman, Shereen Abdulrahman, Noor Najaf, and Nouf Abdullah. Competing in Group C, Bahrain opens against Chinese Taipei, then faces Hong Kong, before concluding the first day against Saudi Arabia. With 22 teams competing in the women’s tournament, Bayan Salman’s energy and competitiveness will be central as the team seeks to reinforce Bahrain’s growing presence in continental 3×3 basketball.

This year’s Asia Cup features both established powers and rising squads, with Australia entering as the reigning champion in both men’s and women’s competitions. On the men’s side, Mongolia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and Qatar are the key challengers, while in the women’s tournament, China, Mongolia, Japan, and New Zealand will be looking to dethrone the champions.