Qatar's Brandon Datrill Goodwin (centre) scores a field goal.
Doha: The Qatar national basketball team kicked off its participation in the 2025 International Friendly Tournament, organised by the Qatar Basketball Federation, with a hard-fought 82-78 win over Saudi Arabia at Lusail Multipurpose Arena.
The closely contested match saw a balanced first quarter, ending in a 24-24 tie, before Qatar gradually asserted dominance, edging out Saudi Arabia 21-20 in the second quarter, 19-18 in the third, and 18-16 in the decisive fourth quarter to secure the win.
Brandon Datrill Goodwin led Qatar with an impressive 23 points, shooting at a 69% accuracy rate, while Mohammed Ali Abdulrahman was Saudi Arabia’s top scorer with 24 points, delivering a strong individual performance despite the loss.
The tournament, which continues until August 1, features four teams: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Iraq.
Competition resumes tomorrow, with Qatar facing Japan at 5:00 PM, followed by Iraq versus Saudi Arabia at 7:00 PM. The tournament concludes on Friday, August 1, with Saudi Arabia taking on Japan at 5:00 PM and Qatar closing out against Iraq at 7:00 PM.
Under the guidance of Turkish coach Hakan Demir, the Qatar national team is using the tournament as a critical phase in their preparation for the 31st FIBA Asia Cup, scheduled for August 5-17, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
