Alkass English
The 2025 International Friendly Basketball Tournament, organized by the Qatar Basketball Federation, concludes today with two thrilling matches at the Lusail Multipurpose Arena.
The evening kicks off at 7:00 PM with Saudi Arabia facing Japan, followed by the tournament finale at 9:00 PM, where the host nation Qatar takes on Iraq to close out the competition.
This year’s tournament brought together four national teams: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Iraq. Qatar’s squad impressed early on, narrowly defeating Saudi Arabia 82-78 in the opening game. Although Qatar fell 92-103 to Japan in the second round, under the guidance of Turkish coach Hakan Demir, the team showed noticeable technical and physical growth. Standout player Alen Hadzibegovic led Qatar with 24 points against Japan, while Japan’s Yudai Nishida scored 21 points for his side.
Saudi Arabia also made a strong statement with a decisive 91-76 victory over Iraq, setting the stage for a competitive closing night.
Prominent figures in attendance included Mohammed bin Saad Al Mughaiseeb, President of the Qatar Basketball Federation, Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari, Secretary-General and National Teams Director, along with officials from the participating teams and basketball community leaders.
This friendly tournament serves as a crucial preparation platform for Qatar’s national team ahead of the 31st FIBA Asia Cup, scheduled from August 5 to 17, 2025, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The continental event will feature 16 teams divided into four groups:
* Group A: Qatar, Australia, South Korea, Lebanon
* Group B: Guam, Japan, Syria, Iran
* Group C: China, Jordan, India, Saudi Arabia
* Group D: Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, Iraq, Philippines
The competition format includes a group stage where the top team from each group advances directly to the quarterfinals. Teams finishing second and third will compete in crossover playoff matches to determine the remaining quarterfinalists.