MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2019 16 Bahrain win bronze in GBA event Saudi Arabia crowned champions in GBA basketball championship

TDT | Manama

ahrain captured the bronze Bmedals in the Gulf Basket- ball Association (GBA) Men’s National Teams Champion- ship 2019 last night following a well-deserved 76-67 victory over the UAE in the game for third place. The result ended a three-game losing streak in Kuwait City for the Bahrainis, who began the tournament with back-to-back wins before losing their next two games and then dropping out of title contention in the semi-finals. Claiming the gold medals last night were Saudi Arabia, who disappointed the home fans after defeating hosts Kuwait 92-83 in the final. Following both games, the top three squads were presented their respective medals in an awarding ceremony attended by Bahrain team members with officials after receiving their bronze medals Bahrain’s Malabes takes a jump shot in their game against the UAE last night GBA officials. Bahrain claimed their first The Bahrainis turned things the Emiratis struggled to mount only other player to score in points. with 23 points, eight rebounds major accolade under recent- up once again in the third a serious comeback in the final double figures, finishing with Mohamed Albreiki paced the and seven assists. Seven-footer ly signed head coach Darko quarter to build a 63-53 lead minutes. 12 and eight rebounds. Ahmed UAE with 21 points, while cap- Mohammed Al Suwailem con- Russo. heading into the final can - Naturalised big man CJ Giles Aziz and Bader Abdulla Mal - tain Jassim Abdalla had 13 and tributed 16 points and 12 re - The nationals had a strong to, where they did enough to came up big for Bahrain. He abes both chipped in with eight Talal Alnuaimi 12. bounds. start against the Emiratis yester- keep a good gap ahead of their scored 29 points and grabbed 15 points in the win, while Ahmed In the gold medal contest, Abdullah Alshammari paced day. They led 28-18 at the end of rivals. rebounds but was ejected late Ramadan had seven, skip - Mathna Al Marwani led the Kuwait with 18 points and 11 the first quarter but the Emiratis The Bahrainis led by as many in the contest for a second tech- per Mohammed Qurban fin - Saudis with 25 points and seven boards. Rashed Alrabah added were able to narrow their deficit as 14 in the fourth, which was nical foul. ished with six, Subah Hussain rebounds, while Khalid Abdel 16 and Saleh Albrahim 15 in the to 40-45 at the half. also their biggest of the game, as Mohammed Buallay was the four and Hesham Sarhan two Gabar nearly had a triple-double loss.

Stage set for King Hamad Trophy Bahrain to fight for place in Gulf Cup semis: Sousa championship Bahrainis play Kuwait in the last Group B fixture today evening TDT | Manama

ead coach Helio Sousa admitted yesterday that HBahrain are in a tough position in their hopes to qualify for the semi-finals of the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup in Doha. Thomas with last year’s KHT (File After losing to Saudi Arabia photo) 0-2 in their previous match on Saturday, the Bahrainis must TDT | Manama win in their last Group B fixture against Kuwait this evening in he 12th edition of the order to have any shot at advanc- TKing Hamad Trophy ing to the final four. (KHT) tees off today at The But their qualification is not Royal Golf Club with 99 completely in their hands. They players taking part. must wait to see what happens This year’s field includes in the other match between a number of Mena Tour reg- Oman and Saudi to learn of their ulars, headed by the winner fate, and Sousa acknowledges of the 2019 Order of Merit the difficult situation they are MG Keyser. in. Also in the field are hold- “We are not in the position we er of most wins on the Tour wish and fight for,” Sousa said in Zane , and former his pre-match Press conference KHT champions Luke Joy yesterday. “We are not in the and Jamie Elson. best condition. We are the last Sousa, second from left, alongside Jaffar, second from right, and Abdulghaffar, left, at his conference yesterday In addition to the Mena one in the group and we had Tour players, there are a our chances to pass through, but win, there will be a two-team Only the top two teams from against Saudi; it is our first de- number of British and Mo- now this does not depend only tie between Bahrain and Oman, each of the two groups at the end feat. We are not unbeatable, we roccan professionals who on us. We must wait to see what with the tie-break being deter- of this preliminary stage march never were. We will lose for sure play the PGA Europro Tour the other teams can do. mined by superior goal-differ- on to the semi-finals. Iraq have and it happened this last game and , along “We must do all we can to win ence. A win for Bahrain and a We are not in the already qualified from Group A against one great team. with some of Bahrain’s best against Kuwait and must expect draw between Oman and Saudi best condition. We while the other spot is up for “But we will keep building and golfers. the best situation from the oth- would force a tie-break between grabs between the UAE and hosts this is what we are preparing Amateur golfer Ray - er game in order to be in the the Bahrainis and Saudis. are the last one in Qatar. Yemen are out of con - on – to build a team for now and han Thomas from India semi-finals.” Anything less than a victory the group and we tention. for the future. With all the play- won the 11th KHT by five Bahrain take on Kuwait at for Bahrain would confirm their had our chances to Sousa noted that whatever ers available and who have the strokes. Khalifa International Stadium Gulf Cup exit. pass through, but happens in their semis bid, he fire and will to play for national This year’s champi - while defending champions and “Our group is very balanced,” now this does not is proud of the effort of the team and who have the quality onship further features a current group leaders Oman said Sousa. “No one can say depend only on us. national team and their con - to do it, we are building a strong number of young amateurs play Saudi at Abdullah bin Khal- yet that they are there. Oman We must wait to tinued progress towards build- team for tomorrow.” representing around 15 ifa Stadium. Both contests are is the only one that can say if ing a bright future for Bahrain Sousa was joined in his pre- countries. scheduled for an 8pm kick-off. they win they are there. All the see what the other football. match conference yesterday by It will be played over Bahrain must beat the Ku - others, even in winning, they teams can do “We are building an identity veteran goalkeeper Sayed Mo- three days and spectators waitis and hope that Oman de- are depending on what the oth- HELIO SOUSA of playing,” explained the Portu- hammed Jaffar and national are welcome to attend. En- feat Saudi in order to qualify for er teams can do. This is very guese tactician. “It was officially team official Mohammed Ab- try is free. the semis. If Bahrain and Saudi balanced.” our 11th game that we played dulghaffar.