Kuwait suffers third straight defeat in U-18 Asia Cup qualifiers

Kuwait's U-18 national basketball team has suffered its third straight defeat in the GCC Zone qualifiers for the FIBA U-18 Asia Cup, succumbing to a significant 81-53 loss against host nation Qatar in Doha. This latest setback follows earlier losses to Oman and Bahrain, highlighting the team's struggles in the tournament.

The Kuwaiti team, known as "The Blues," began their campaign with a narrow 62-59 defeat against Oman. Their second outing proved even more challenging, as they were heavily defeated by Bahrain with a score of 106-51. The consecutive losses place Kuwait in a difficult position as they head into their final first-round match.

Kuwait is scheduled to face Saudi Arabia in their concluding first-round fixture. The GCC qualifiers, running from July 25 to 30 in Doha, feature five teams: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. The tournament operates on a round-robin format, with the top two finishers earning berths at the FIBA U-18 Asia Cup finals, which will be held in India next month.