Qatar U18 Basketball Team Lose 118-66 to China, Remain in Knockout Contention

Qatar’s U18 basketball team lost 118-66 to China in their second Group C match at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup, which is being held in India until August 23.

China controlled the game throughout, winning the four quarters 32-11, 32-20, 30-14 and 24-21.

Despite the result, Qatar captain Abdullah Yassin Moussa was the game’s leading scorer with 22 points, while Xuan Hao led China with 18 points.

In the other Group C match, Iran defeated Sri Lanka 110-42 to record their second consecutive victory.

China and Iran now lead Group C with four points each, while Qatar and Sri Lanka sit third and fourth respectively with two points apiece.

Despite suffering a second defeat, Qatar remain in contention for a place in the knockout stage.

The team must beat Sri Lanka in their final group match on August 18 to keep their qualification hopes alive and secure at least second place in the group.

Under the tournament format, each group winner advances directly to the quarter-finals, while the teams finishing second and third enter qualification games on August 20.

The second-placed team in Group C will face the third-placed team in Group D, while the third-placed team in Group C will meet the second-placed team in Group D.

China and Iran will also meet in the final Group C fixture on August 18 to determine the group winner, who will qualify directly for the quarter-finals, while the runner-up will enter the qualification round.

The tournament features 16 teams divided into four groups of four, with the preliminary stage being played in a single round-robin format from August 13 to 18.

The quarter-finals are scheduled for August 21, followed by the semi-finals on August 22 and the final on August 23.

The competition also serves as a qualifying pathway to the 2027 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Pardubice, Czech Republic, from June 26 to July 4, 2027.

The four teams that reach the semi-finals will qualify for the World Cup.

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