DOHA: Qatar will field five teams for the FIBA Asia 3x3 Championship after the draw was made during the FIBA Asia Central Board meeting, yesterday.
Qatar will have two teams in the men’s category. Qatar Maroon have been grouped in Group A along with Mongolia, Philippines and Sri Lanka. Qatar Grey will face Japan, Jordan and Hong Kong in Group D.
India, Indonesia, Turkmenistan and Iran are in Group B, while Taipei, Thailand, Nepal and Lebanon will face each other in Group C.
The top two teams in each group will advance to the knock-out stages.
Likewise, there will be two teams in the women’s category, with Qatar 1 placed in Group C along with Thailand, Hong Kong and Mongolia.
Qatar 2 will meet Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Philippines in Group A.
China, Syria, Turkmenistan, Nepal and Lebanon are in Group B and complete the 14-team category.
The top two teams from each group will then be divided into two groups of three teams each for the second round, from where the top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-final play-offs.
Both the men’s and women’s matches will be played in Doha next month.
Elsewhere, Qatar will be one of the 24 teams competing in the Under-18 Boy’s category in the competition.
Qatar will play five matches after being drawn against Turkmenistan, Indonesia, Syria, Philippines and Taipei in Group B.
Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, India, China and Maldives complete Group A, while Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, Kazakhstan and Thailand 2 are in Group C.
In a group that consists of five teams, Thailand 1, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Nepal and Macau, are in Group D.
The top two teams will qualify for the quarter-final play-offs.
Nineteen teams will be competing in the Under-18 Girl’s category. The Under-18 Boy’s and girls matches will be played in Bangkok from May 22 to 24.
Speaking of the tournament, FIBA Asia President Sheikh Saud bin Ali Al Thani said: “We are encouraged by the interest shown by the teams especially from traditionally not so powerful countries.”
He added: “Over the next one month, what we will witness is a festival of basketball where people from all walks of life and cutting across age groups will participate in FIBA Asia 3x3 with the single objective of: JUST PLAY.”
FIBA Asia Secretary General Hagop Khajirian said he is thrilled with the number of entries for the tournament.
He said: “We are proud that FIBA Asia is the first FIBA Zone to organise a 3x3 event for National Teams. And all the credit for this goes to the National Federations who have embraced this new baby in the basketball family with great enthusiasm.” THE PENINSULA
