Muscat: The Qatari men's and women's national teams have advanced to the semifinals of the Gulf 3x3 Basketball Championship, hosted in Muscat. The event spans two days, drawing significant attention from an enthusiastic crowd.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Qatari men's team, featuring players Ahmed Saeed Mohammed, Dejan Janic, Miho Harasic, and Nadem Muslic, achieved a victory over Oman (B) with a score of 16-12 in their initial Group B match. They continued their strong showing by defeating Bahrain 17-13 in the second round, securing the top spot in the group. Meanwhile, Bahrain managed a narrow win against Oman with an 18-17 scoreline. In Group A, Saudi Arabia bested Oman (A) 13-11, while Kuwait overcame Saudi Arabia 20-19, and Oman defeated Kuwait 19-15.
Based on these outcomes, the Qatari men's team is set to face Saudi Arabia in the semifinals, with Kuwait and Bahrain competing in the other semifinal. The victors from these encounters will move on to the championship final.
In the women's competition, the Qatari team, consisting of Maya Rami Al Khatib, Mona Abdel Moneim, Naziha Hossam, and Tania Tawil, began their journey with a decisive 21-7 win against Oman's B team. However, they faced a setback in the next round, losing to Bahrain 9-21. Bahrain also triumphed over Oman's B team with a 21-4 score. Consequently, the Qatari women's team will compete against Saudi Arabia in the semifinals, while Bahrain takes on Kuwait to determine the finalists.
The Gulf Championship is underway at Al Mouj, Muscat, featuring participation from five Gulf nations: Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. The tournament includes 12 teams, divided equally between men's and women's categories. Each category is split into two groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals, while the third-place teams vie for fifth and sixth positions.