BASKETBALL – Bahrain’s under-23 women’s 3×3 basketball national team took an impressive second place yesterday in the fifth and penultimate stop of the Asia West/Pacific conference in the Fiba 3×3 Youth Nations League 2026, currently being played in Singapore.
The Bahrainis, playing with the quartet of Bayan Salman, Polina Sviatskaya, JaMya Robinson, and Noor Najaf, won both their games in Pool A of the preliminary round against Qatar and Saudi Arabia, but then bowed yet again to continental powerhouses Australia in their final.
The nationals were runners-up for the third time in the five stops held so far, and they came away with 80 points for their conference standing, rising back to second place behind only the undefeated Australians after dropping to third the day prior.
Following an exciting full week’s programme in Singapore, action concludes today with the sixth and final stop in this Asia West/Pacific conference of this year’s Fiba 3×3 Youth Nations League.
Teams have been vying for points in each of the events in their bids to qualify for the Fiba 3×3 U23 World Cup, which is to be held in Hubei, China, from September 15 to 19.
Australia’s women and men are in the driver’s seat to book their berths in the worlds.
Also yesterday, Bahrain’s under-23 men’s 3×3 basketball national team split their two Pool A contests, coming up just short in their quest to secure a place in their final.
Hitting the half-court were Naser Alanzoor, Mohammed Alanzi, Mishal Buhamood, and Hamad Faisal.
They opened the stop with a win against Qatar but then lost to Saudi in their follow-up assignment.
They thus came away with 60 points for their conference rankings, where they remained fifth overall from the six participating nations heading into today’s finale.
Bahrain’s women were dominant in their opening contest yesterday against their counterparts from Qatar, who they routed 22-4 in a masterful display.
Sviatskaya spearheaded the nationals with nine points, while Salman added six, Najaf had four, and Robinson finished with three.
In their next outing, the Bahrainis were just as aggressive, beating Saudi 21-7 to complete their group schedule undefeated.
Salman had a team-high eight points, while Najaf contributed six, Sviatskaya four, and Robinson three.
Their winning run was halted, however, in a brave effort in the women’s final.
There, they lost 14-21 to Australia, who had also beaten them the other two times they advanced to the decider.
Salman scored nine points to pace Bahrain in the defeat, while Robinson chipped in with three and Sviatskaya two.
On the distaff, Bahrain’s men got their day underway on a high note yesterday, edging past Qatar 21-19 with a game-winner from Alanzi.
He put in an impressive 11-point effort for the nationals, while Alanzoor and Faisal added four apiece and Buhamood scored two points.
But the Bahrainis then lost their next game 17-22 to Saudi in another closely fought affair.
Alanzoor finished with seven points, Faisal had six, and both Alanzi and Buhamood finished with two.
Saudi won the men’s event after beating Singapore 16-10.
It was the only time all conference that Australia did not make it into a stop’s final game, having lost to the host Singaporeans 17-21 in a Pool B clash yesterday.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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