Al-Salmi Club Opens Arab Basketball Clubs Championship with Valuable Victory Over Yemen's Shabab Hadhramout

By Ayoub Khedaj, Beirut, Oct 9 (KUNA) – Kuwait’s Al-Salibikhaat Club opened its participation in the 38th Arab Clubs Basketball Championship today, Friday, with a hard-fought 77-76 victory over Yemen’s Shabab Hadhramout Club. The first half of the match, played on the tournament’s opening day, ended with the Yemeni side leading 37-28, despite Al-Salibikhaat starting with intense pressure and an early points advantage. In the second half, the Kuwaiti team pushed hard with a determined performance, turning the tide in the final quarter to secure a one-point win, 77-76.

Al-Salibikhaat competes in the tournament organized by Lebanon’s Al-Hakam Club at Antoine Choueri Stadium (Ghazir Club) in northern Beirut, under the supervision of the Arab and Lebanese basketball federations, in Group 2.

Ahmed Al-Hamdan, an administrator of Al-Salibikhaat, told the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that the team is participating with the goal of achieving results that elevate the name of Kuwaiti basketball. He noted that the squad is entering the tournament with determination despite the absence of several players due to injuries and special circumstances that prevented their participation. He thanked Lebanon for hosting the championship, which features clubs that enrich the competition in basketball.

For his part, Al-Salibikhaat player and Kuwait national team member Faisal Al-Harbi told KUNA that “the match was tough, but the team’s champions were determined to achieve a result at the start of the tournament, which enabled us to secure this victory.” Al-Harbi pledged to achieve more results in upcoming matches, especially given the strong competition among the participating clubs.

Ayman Al-Anzi leads the Al-Salibikhaat delegation at the tournament, which runs until October 20 and features 12 clubs divided into two groups. Group 1 includes Lebanon’s Al-Hakam, Syria’s Al-Ahli Aleppo, Oman’s Al-Seeb, Qatar’s Al-Rayyan, Bahrain’s Al-Manama, and Lebanon’s Al-Markaziya Jounieh. Group 2 comprises Kuwait’s Al-Salibikhaat, Qatar’s Al-Arabi, Lebanon’s Hob’s, Lebanon’s Beirut First Club, Yemen’s Shabab Hadhramout, and Syria’s Homs Al-Fida. (End) A.Y.B./R.J.