U-16 Basketball Team continue camp in Buraimi
AHMED AL KAABI
MUSCAT, JUNE 15
The Oman U-16 national basketball team continues its training at the closed internal camp at the Al Buraimi Sports Complex, as part of the final stage of preparations for the Gulf regional qualifiers of the Asian Championship. These qualifiers will be hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain from July 7 to 12, with only two teams from the Gulf earning qualification to the Asian finals.
The camp began last Friday and will run until June 26, under the supervision of Tunisian coach Zouheir Al Ayachi and his Omani assistant, Ali al Balushi. The team is undergoing two training sessions daily morning and evening focused on skill development, tactical awareness, and physical conditioning.
In coordination with the technical staff, the Oman Basketball Association (OBA) plans to arrange friendly matches during an external camp in Bahrain starting June 27 to boost readiness before the qualifiers. The team aims to play four friendly games two against Manama Club, one against Muharraq Club, and another against a local Bahraini academy.
The national team has gone through several preparation phases, starting with weekend camps, followed by a mid-year camp that included trial matches against youth teams from Al Seeb, Al Amerat and Nizwa. These matches provided the coaching staff with valuable opportunities to evaluate the players and address weaknesses. Following the conclusion of the youth league, the team entered a closed camp that included a series of friendly matches in the UAE. Among them was a close game against an academy that ended in a narrow two-point loss, and a strong win over the UAE national team with a score of 56 – 29 — a significant improvement considering that Oman had previously lost to the same team by more than 15 points in the last Gulf Championship.
The current camp includes 15 players: Saddam al Shizawi, Khuzaymah al Shibli, Rashid al Eisai, Mohammed al Shizawi, Abdulrahim al Roushdi, Elyas al Obaidani, Al Mulhim al Obaidani, Abdulsamad al Subaihi, Muhannad al Batashi, Nawar al Bahlouli, Adam al Hinai, Jade al Kindi, Saif al Yahyai, Sami al Busaidy, and Sultan al Sinani.
Also participating in the camp are Ghassan al Busaidy, Director of National Teams, and Amer al Zaidi, the team's physiotherapist, as part of the administrative and medical staff.
In a statement, head coach Zouheir Al Ayachi said, We are working according to a detailed training plan that progresses from improving fitness to focusing on both team and individual tactics. There is a clear improvement in the players' performance, especially in passing and off-the-ball movement.
Al Ayachi emphasised that the upcoming external camp in Bahrain will be a decisive step in the team's preparations, pointing to the value of the friendly matches to be played there.
The coaching staff hopes that this intensive preparation will result in an honorable performance in the qualifiers and achieve the goal of qualifying for the Asian Championship finals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Observer
a day ago
- Observer
Oman into the 2nd round of Beach Handball Championship
MUSCAT, JUNE 19 The Oman U-17 beach handball team advanced to the main round of the 2025 IHF Men's Junior Beach Handball World Championship following their impressive victory over Puerto Rico by 2-1 in their final group stage match late on Wednesday. The thrilling win took Oman junior stars in the second position of Group A behind the toppers Spain who led the group with two victories. The triumph meant, Oman earned their place among the top twelve teams of the tournament and now prepares to face European powerhouses including: Croatia, Germany and Hungary in the second round. The win against Puerto Rico revived debutant Oman hopes to continue in the competitions of the global event. Oman team players suffered to a 2-0 loss against Spain but they bounced back strongly and displayed composure and resilience in a tightly contested encounter. Oman took the first half and ended at 10-8 while Puerto Rico managed to end the second half by 18-16. The match was decided via a penalty shootout as Oman's goalie Louay al Sulaimani made a crucial save and Oman's star player Salim al Oraimi scored the decisive point to seal a 9-8 shootout win. With the winning result, Oman entered the main round carrying over their points from matches against Spain and Puerto Rico. In this stage and accordingly to playing format of the tournament, the top three teams from Group A will face the top three from Group B including: Germany, who ended as group topper, Croatia -finished in second place and Hungary who completed their group stage campaign in third place. Oman team will meet Croatia earlier on Friday and then they will face Germany while they will conclude their matches by an encounter against Hungary late in the same day. Oman assistant head coach Arif al Balushi expressed pride in the players' efforts and highlighted the importance of maintaining focus:' The win over Puerto Rico showed the team's character and ability to bounce back under pressure after the defeat against Spain in the opening game. We will face tough and elite European teams in the second phase of the tournament. The team players prepared well and are determined to compete with proper discipline and technique." He said 'The second round will be more challenging but our goal is to build on our momentum and secure a historic semifinal berth.' He ended This edition of the IHF Junior Beach Handball World Championship is the largest in history, featuring 32 nations across the globe. Oman's participation was made possible through a recommendation from the Asian Handball Federation, following their fourth-place finish at the Asian event held in Thailand.
Observer
2 days ago
- Observer
Spain defeat Oman in opener of Beach Handball championship
MUSCAT, JUNE 18 The Oman U-17 national beach handball team began their campaign at the 2025 IHF Men's Junior Beach Handball World Championship with a challenging match against Spain. The national team players suffered to a 2-0 loss against the European giants in straight sets (12-24, 12-24) in their opening Group A fixture. Despite the defeat, Oman's junior stars showed strong display and promising performance beside their determination against one of the tournament favorites and a strong contender for the championship title. Spain, the 2018 Youth Olympic gold medalists, showcased their experience and clinical execution throughout both halves. Oman's standout performers were Yazan al Buraiki and Imad al Ghailani, who managed to contribute the majority of the team's points and created several offensive threats with their agility and sharp movement during the opening match. The tough encounter, however, also highlighted Spain's defensive strength, particularly their goalkeeper, who was a dominant presence throughout and thwarted several Omani scoring opportunities. With the triumph, Spain gained their first winning points while Oman met Puerto Rico late on Wednesday. The chances still high for the qualification to the second round due to Iran's withdrawal from the group. The first half saw Oman earned an initial possession after a strong defensive effort by Salim al Oraimi, but the team was unable to capitalise on early chances. Spain quickly bounced back and gained a two-point lead but Oman equalised through Yazan al Buraiki's aggressive play, bringing the score to 4-4. A series of missed chances and continued brilliance from Spain's goalkeeper allowed the Spanish team to pull away. Oman's head coach, Jaber Yaqub al Balushi, called a timeout to regroup but Spain extended their lead as they ended the first half at 24-12. In the following half, a similar scenario were delivered by national team players. Oman fought hard to gain momentum as Al Buraiki and Al Ghailani were stepping up. The match was tied as they reached to 6-6 draw in the early minutes but Spain gradually widened the gap to 14-6. After another timeout, Oman attempted a comeback as Al Ghailani made several successful runs down the right flank, scoring vital points. However, Spain maintained their dominance and sealed the match by taking the second half 24-12.
Observer
2 days ago
- Observer
Coach Ammar al Kathiri joins ICAB programme
MUSCAT, JUNE 18 The Oman Basketball Association has announced the nomination of national coach Ammar al Kathiri to participate in the International Coaching Apprenticeship in Basketball (ICAB) programme. The initiative is organised by the University of Delaware in collaboration with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), and the World Association of Basketball Coaches (WABC), with full support from the Olympic Solidarity programme. The programme will run from June to November 2025. The ICAB programme is recognised globally as a leading initiative in developing basketball coaches, combining academic instruction with practical field experience. It comprises four interconnected phases designed to enhance coaching capabilities through a blend of theoretical and practical learning. The first phase is an online module delivered twice monthly, featuring specialised lectures and applied assignments aimed at reinforcing modern coaching concepts. The second phase involves a two-day in-person module held on the University of Delaware campus, including interactive workshops and direct engagement with top training experts from the US. The third phase is a hands-on field experience in which participants are integrated into NCAA Division I basketball team programmes. This phase offers close-up exposure to professional coaching methods and team management systems. The programme concludes with a final in-person unit where participants return to the University of Delaware to present their acquired knowledge and propose a professional development plan tailored to the needs of their home environments. Coach Ammar al Kathiri will travel to the United States to participate in the in-person components of the programme, with all expenses covered by the Olympic Solidarity programme. In an exclusive statement, Al Kathiri expressed his pride and gratitude for the opportunity, saying Who wouldn't dream of learning basketball from its very source in America? Living daily with NCAA teams and observing their operations closely is every coach's dream. This is truly a priceless opportunity. He also appreciated the support of the OBA and the trust placed in him by the Technical Development Committee, adding This experience will be a turning point in my coaching career. We will be exposed to the latest theories and practices in the basketball world, and we'll return with practical knowledge that can help develop the game locally. For his part, Abu Bakr al Jahwari, Vic-President of the Oman Basketball Association (OBA) and Chairman of the Technical Development Committee, stated Coach Ammar's nomination aligns with the Association's strategy to empower national talents and expose them to world-class training experiences. We believe this investment will positively impact the future of basketball in Oman. He added Our partnership with Olympic Solidarity and the Oman Olympic Committee in such programs offers Omani coaches a unique opportunity to gain exposure to advanced methodologies and contribute to building a strong technical foundation for Omani basketball.
