Bahrain’s 3x3 teams bow out at Asia Cup

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s women’s and men’s 3x3 basketball teams concluded their campaigns at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2026 qualifiers yesterday, with both squads unable to advance past the pool stage. The tournament, now in its ninth edition and hosted for the fifth consecutive year at Singapore Sports Hub, tested the Kingdom’s teams against some of Asia’s toughest competition.

The women’s team struggled to find rhythm in their opening game of qualifying draw C, suffering a heavy 21-4 loss to Chinese Taipei. The Taiwanese squad raced to an early lead, connecting on inside and longrange shots, while Bayan Salman kept Bahrain on the board with a two-pointer and Shirin Madwar added the team’s only other basket. Despite the lopsided score, the experience offered valuable lessons against a top-tier opponent.

Bahrain bounced back in their second game, showing resilience against Hong Kong. Salman led the effort with 10 points, including four long-range shots, while Madwar contributed four more. The match remained close throughout, with Bahrain trading baskets and mounting a late challenge, but Hong Kong ultimately pulled away to claim a 20-14 victory.

The women ended their qualifiers on a high note, defeating Saudi Arabia 14-9. After a tight start, Bahrain gradually seized control, with Salman scoring eight points and Madwar adding five. The win, however, was not enough to progress, as only the top team in the pool moved on to the main draw.

The men’s team faced a similarly tough path in qualifying draw D. Their opener against Hong Kong was a thriller, with Bahrain trailing 8-14 before rallying to tie the game at 14-14. Salman Ahmed Isa Alkaabi scored the equalizer, but Kwok Chuen Cheung delivered the decisive point in the closing seconds for a 15-14 defeat.

Bahrain’s second game against Kazakhstan saw another strong push. Naser Al Musawi scored eight points and Mohammed Ghazwan added five, keeping the team close, but Kazakhstan’s steady shooting earned them a 20-16 win.

In their final match, Bahrain fell 21-19 to India in a back-andforth contest. Al Musawi and Ghazwan kept Bahrain within striking distance through several lead changes, but India edged ahead in the final minutes to seal the result.