India Suffers Defeat to Saudi Arabia in FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament

In the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament Asia 2023, the Indian men’s basketball team encountered their second loss, succumbing to a score of 75-92 against Saudi Arabia in the Wednesday fixture.

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India began their campaign with victories against host nations Syria and Indonesia. However, they encountered a setback in their preceding match against Kazakhstan, falling short by three points.

The team Bahrain is currently taking a three-game consecutive victory streak, and if they emerge victorious over Indonesia in the later match, they will qualify for the forthcoming final Olympic basketball, slated for 2024.

It’s important to note that only the highest-ranking team will move to the subsequent stage from the pool of six teams participating in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament Asia 2023.

India & Saudi Are The Leading Point Contributors

Khalid M Abdel Gabar and Musab Tariq M Kadi from Saudi Arabia secured 15 points each, emerging as the leading point contributors in the game. On the Indian side, Amaan Sandhu attained 14 points, holding the highest individual score. Sandhu also demonstrated prowess with nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals, as reported by Olympics.com.

Game Overview

Ranked at the 68th position in the global standings, Saudi Arabia entered the competition with a recent record of two defeats and a lone victory. The initial moments of the match saw them hold a balanced performance against the Indian basketball team.

Nevertheless, after the scores reached parity at 6-6, Saudi Arabia displayed a proficient shooting display, accumulating 13 consecutive points. In stark contrast, the Indian team was stunned and faced a drought in scoring for the subsequent five-minute duration.

The second quarter unfolded more unfavorably for India, as they concluded the initial phase trailing by 14-27 points. The Indian team struggled to match the formidable power demonstrated by Saudi Arabia, resulting in a widening gap of 22 points.

Saudi Arabia’s advantage surged to 31 points as the third quarter progressed. India’s Pranav Prince came to the forefront, producing a surge of 14 consecutive points that managed to trim the deficit to 17. Yet, by the conclusion of the third quarter, the score stood at 70-50, leaving India with a daunting challenge ahead.

In the fourth quarter, India managed to amass 25 points, surpassing Saudi Arabia’s 22 points in scoring. Nevertheless, India’s attempts to recuperate from the initial setbacks ultimately fell short.

Within the Asian segment of the Olympic pre-qualifiers basketball tournament for the upcoming Paris 2024 Games, six competitive basketball teams – India, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Syria – are currently vying for prominence.

India’s forthcoming fixture is scheduled against Bahrain on Thursday, positioned at the 84th rank globally. Despite being ranked second-lowest in the tournament, Bahrain has notably showcased remarkable performances, securing victories over Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and Syria.