Doha: Qatar's reserve basketball team launched its 44th William Jones Cup campaign with a hard-fought 80-74 victory over the UAE on Friday in the tournament's opening game.
The win marks a positive start for the young Qatari squad in the prestigious international tournament, which runs in the Taiwanese capital until July 20. Despite an early deficit with the UAE taking the first quarter 16-11, Qatar demonstrated remarkable resilience. The reserve team, showcasing strong technical and physical readiness, dominated the middle periods to build a decisive lead. They weathered a late surge from their opponents in the final quarter to clinch the important opening win.
The tournament serves as a critical preparatory phase for the team ahead of the Arab Championship for National Teams, which begins in Tunisia on July 23. Qatar are set to face Japan on July 13, followed by matches against Australia on July 14 and the Philippines on July 15.
