International Friendly Tournament to conclude with Qatar-Iraq showdown

Doha: The 2025 International Friendly Basketball Tournament, hosted by the Qatar Basketball Federation, will wrap up today, with two exciting matches...

Doha: The 2025 International Friendly Basketball Tournament, hosted by the Qatar Basketball Federation, will wrap up today, with two exciting matches at the Lusail Multipurpose Arena.

The first game, pitting Saudi Arabia against Japan, is scheduled for 7:00 PM, followed by the final match at 9:00 PM, where hosts Qatar will face Iraq, bringing the curtain down on this year’s tournament.

The competition featured four teams: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Iraq. Qatar’s national team delivered impressive performances, highlighted by an 82-78 victory over Saudi Arabia in the opening match.

Despite falling 92-103 to Japan in the second round, the team, under the guidance of Turkish coach Hakan Demir, showed clear signs of technical and physical improvement. Alen Hadzibegovic stood out for Qatar, scoring 24 points against Japan, while Japan’s Yudai Nishida led his team with 21 points.

Saudi Arabia also secured a commanding 91-76 win over Iraq, heightening the stakes for the closing matches.