Oman fall to Bahrain, turn focus to UAE clash

MUSCAT: Oman’s national basketball team suffered its second defeat in the FIBA Asia Cup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers after going down 106-62 to Bahrain at the Shabab Al Ahli venue in Dubai on Thursday.
Bahrain imposed their rhythm from the opening minutes of the Group A encounter, taking a 24-13 lead at the end of the first quarter before significantly extending their advantage in the second.
The Bahrainis outscored Oman 32-18 in the second period to take a commanding 56-31 lead into half-time.

Oman attempted to respond after the break and improve their performance at both ends of the court, but Bahrain maintained their control of the contest. They won the third quarter 24-15 to stretch the overall score to 80-46 heading into the final period.
Bahrain continued to dictate proceedings in the fourth quarter, taking the period 26-16 to complete a 106-62 victory.
The result leaves Oman searching for their first win of the campaign following their 88-63 defeat to Kuwait in their opening match.

The national team will now turn their attention to their third Group A fixture against hosts UAE on Sunday at 8 pm Oman time, as they look to produce a stronger performance and return to winning ways.
Oman will then conclude their first round campaign against Nepal on Monday, August 31, at 5 pm Oman time.
The two remaining matches provide Oman with an opportunity to respond to their opening defeats and finish the group stage on a positive note as the players seek to translate the work carried out during their preparation programme and Dubai training camp into improved performances on court.