Doha, Qatar – In a nail-biting finish, Qatar narrowly missed out on victory against New Zealand, falling 21-20 in the final match of the fourth stage of the FIBA U23 3×3 Nations League (Asia-Pacific), held yesterday at the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) Hall in Al Gharafa.
Dominating Pool B, the Qatari squad breezed past Chinese Taipei (21-11) and Singapore (21-12) to earn their spot in the final showdown against the Kiwis.
Represented by Hamad Yassin Mousa, Zaineeddine Bedri, Ahmed Saeed Mohammed, and Mubarak Jama, the Qatar team delivered a spirited performance, pushing New Zealand to the edge, only to fall short by a single point in a tightly contested clash.
After four stages, Qatar has accumulated 340 points, bolstered by runner-up finishes in the opening two stages and a victory in the third. New Zealand now leads the overall standings with 380 points, having claimed wins in the first, second, and fourth stages.
Trailing behind are the Philippines in third place with 280 points, followed by Singapore (215), Chinese Taipei (210), and Indonesia (195).
On the women’s side, the Qatar team struggled in Group A, suffering defeats to the Philippines (9-21) and New Zealand (3-21). The team includes Salha Ismail, Mona Abdelmonem, Sama Gasir, and Lamis Gamal Hanafi.
The Philippines top the women’s rankings with 370 points, followed by Chinese Taipei at 320. New Zealand sits third with 310 points, while Singapore (230), Indonesia (210), and Qatar (180) round out the standings.
The competition continues today with the fifth and penultimate round of the league.
Hosted by QBF, the tournament is a key component of Qatar’s campaign to promote the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Held in partnership with FIBA, the event also doubles as a qualifier for the FIBA U23 3×3 Basketball World Cup. Champions from the Doha leg will earn their place in the world finals in Xiong’an, China, set to take place from September 17 to 21.