Seeb, Al Bashayer face off to decide Ministry's Shield winner

Muscat: All eyes will turn to the Sub Hall of the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher on Sunday at 7 pm, where the curtain will fall on the 16th edition of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Basketball Shield for the 2025–26 season. The final showdown will bring together Al Bashayer Club and Seeb Club to determine the champion.
Earlier in the day, at 4 pm, Nizwa Club will meet Masirah Club in the third-place playoff. The final and award ceremony will be held under the auspices of Hisham bin Juma al Sinani, Director-General of Sports Welfare and Development, in the presence of Abu Bakr Al Jahdhari, Vice-Chairman of the OBA and Saeed al Habsi, Acting Secretary-General, along with board members and club representatives.
The final between Al Bashayer and Seeb promises strong competition, as it features two of the season’s top teams. Al Bashayer enter the match aiming to complete a double after winning the league title, seeking both to secure another trophy and defend the Shield crown they claimed last season. Led by national coach Mahmood Ambuali, the team relies on a distinguished lineup that includes: Osama al Riyami, Mahmood al Souli, professional Demonta Harris, Abdulridha al Battashi, Ahmed al Halhali, Al Hawari al Rashdi, Bassam al Busaidy, Saif al Tobi, Nouh al Mahrouqi, Ibrahima Thomas, Hadid Bait Bakhit and Sami al Ghailani.
On the other hand, Seeb are determined to reclaim the title after several years away from the top. Guided by coach Iskandar Nabil, the team boasts a balanced squad combining experience and youth. Key players include: Marwan al Hadeed, Mazin al Hadeed, Nouh al Ameri, Ayman al Muharrami, Abdulrahman al Maamari, Al Waqas al Hinai, Zakariya al Wahibi, Ahmed al Sinani, Hassan al Faraji, Mamadou Badji and Rashid al Zuhaibi.
In the third-place playoff, Nizwa enter with the ambition of affirming their merit for a podium finish, relying on their experience and consistent presence in the competition. Masirah, meanwhile, approach the game with competitive spirit despite being relatively new to basketball compared to Nizwa, making the latter the favourites on paper given their technical depth and ability to manage the finer details of the game.
AL BASHAYER CRUISE PAST MASIRAH
Al Bashayer booked their place in the final with a commanding 125–25 victory over Masirah in a match held on Saturday.
The game was largely one-sided. Al Bashayer started strongly in the first quarter, scoring 20 points to Masirah’s 7. They continued their dominance in the second quarter, adding 26 points while limiting Masirah to just a single point, ending the first half comfortably ahead 46–8.
In the third quarter, Al Bashayer intensified both offensively and defensively, scoring 44 points against only 2 for Masirah to extend the lead to 90–10. Although Masirah improved offensively in the fourth quarter with 15 points, Al Bashayer maintained their rhythm and added 35 more points, sealing a comprehensive win and a deserved ticket to the final showdown.