Bahrain’s youth take on German giants

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s youth national basketball team begins its campaign today at the Albert Schweitzer International Tournament in Germany, as the Kingdom’s rising talents test themselves against some of the world’s top sides.

The prestigious under-18 competition, held in Mannheim and Viernheim until April 12, features a strong field including hosts Germany, Slovenia, Sweden, Japan and Türkiye, with Bahrain competing in Group A. The Kingdom opens its campaign tonight against Germany at 9 PM, faces Sweden tomorrow at 6:15 PM, and takes on Slovenia on Monday at the same time. After a rest day on Tuesday, they return to action on Wednesday against Japan at 2:15 PM, before concluding their preliminary round fixtures on Thursday with a clash against Türkiye at 2:45 PM.

The squad is led by Greek head coach Georgios Vovoras, assisted by national coach Ahmed Aziz, with 14 players selected for the tournament. The roster includes Mehdi Habib, Hussain Madan, Mohammed Adel, Mohammed Farhan, Ali Ferdowsi, Ali Khalil, Yousif Yaqoob Meshael, Hussain Fouad, Ali Hafez, Hassan Abdulqader, Somto Patrick Onoduenyi, Khalid Mohammed, Mujtaba Rayan, and Jock James. Onoduenyi, the Arab youth Most Valuable Player, is among the standout names as Bahrain looks to make an impression on the international stage.

The tournament also serves as a key part of Bahrain’s preparations for upcoming regional competitions, particularly the Gulf Championship qualifiers for the FIBA Asia Cup.