Oman U18 step up Gulf preparations

Oman’s U18 national basketball team continue their overseas training camp in the Kingdom of Bahrain, which runs until July 15, as part of the final phase of preparations for the Gulf Basketball Association U18 Championship 2026.
The championship will be held in Doha, Qatar, from July 17 to 22, featuring Oman, hosts Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. The regional competition serves as a qualifier for the FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2026.

The Bahrain camp has featured an intensive training programme focusing on the players’ technical, physical and tactical development. The team have also played five friendly matches against Bahraini clubs, aimed at improving match fitness and strengthening cohesion within the squad ahead of the official competition.
Oman registered two victories during the camp, defeating Al Hala 65-58 and Al Ahli 86-81. They suffered a narrow 51-53 defeat against Nuwaidrat, while losing their two matches against Sitra 62-79 and 67-71.
The warm-up fixtures provided the national side with valuable competitive exposure against teams of a strong technical standard. They also enabled the coaching staff to assess the players’ readiness and address key technical areas before the championship.
Oman will begin their campaign against Kuwait on July 17 at 5 pm Oman time, before facing Bahrain on July 19 at the same time. They will then take on hosts Qatar on July 21 at 7 pm.
The national team will conclude their round-robin campaign against Saudi Arabia on July 22 at 5 pm. Oman will be aiming to deliver performances that reflect the progress of Omani basketball and compete for one of the available qualification berths at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup.