The Directorate General of Education in Al Dakhiliyah claimed the title of the 3x3 basketball competition (born 2011–2012) at the School Sports League for Team Games, following a 14–6 victory over Muscat in the final match held at the Middle East College sports hall. Dhofar secured third place after defeating Al Batinah North 3–2.
The final was held under the auspices of Eng Mustafa bin Abdullah al Balushi, Vice-President for Human Resources and Work Culture at OQ Group, in the presence of Hamad bin Ali al Sarhani, Adviser to the Minister of Education for Educational Administration Affairs, and Dr Saleh bin Hamad al Shaibi, Dean of Middle East College. At the conclusion of the event, the patron honoured the top three teams.
Earlier, the second round witnessed several competitive matches. Al Dakhiliyah defeated Al Wusta 14–3, while Muscat overcame Dhofar 11–7. Al Dakhiliyah continued their strong run with a 5–2 win over Al Batinah North. Al Batinah North later beat Al Wusta 14–2, and Muscat recorded a 14–2 victory against Al Sharqiyah North.
Fahad al Mashaykhi, Deputy Chairman of the Oman School Sports Association, highlighted that the return of team sports competitions comes after a hiatus of more than nine years. He noted that this year’s edition witnessed wide participation from all governorates, featuring three competitions: boys’ 3x3 basketball, and girls’ 3x3 basketball and volleyball. He added: “We have concluded today the boys’ basketball event following extensive qualifiers across schools and educational directorates. The Association aims to sustain and further develop these competitions to build school national teams capable of competing regionally and internationally.”
Mohammed al Kindi, Secretary of the School Sports Committee in Al Dakhiliyah, expressed his delight with the achievement, stating that the title was the result of dedicated efforts by students and physical education teachers. He explained that the team was selected after competitions involving 17 schools in the governorate, followed by an intensive training programme.
Player Omar al Rashdi of Al Dakhiliyah said he was proud of the victory, noting that the team prepared through two weeks of intensive training. “The final was tough. Muscat took an early lead, but we managed a comeback thanks to strong defence and tactical adjustments,” he said, adding that the team relied on a man-to-man defence and continuous pressure.
Meanwhile, Abdulrahman Al Shamas of Muscat described the final as highly competitive against a strong opponent. He pointed out that his team had been preparing for nearly two months despite academic pressures, balancing training sessions with school commitments.
The league will continue with the girls’ 3x3 basketball competition, featuring 44 players, alongside the ongoing girls’ volleyball matches at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher. The overall league is set to conclude the day after tomorrow under the patronage of Dr Aisha bint Hamad al Darmaki, Member of the State Council.
Girls’ Volleyball – Round 3 Results:
Muscat defeated Musandam 2–0, while Al Dakhiliyah beat Al Batinah South by the same scoreline. Dhofar secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Al Dhahirah, and Al Batinah North overcame Al Sharqiyah South 2–0.
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