Antalya, Türkiye: Qatar’s senior men’s basketball team has concluded its overseas training camp in Antalya, Turkey, held from June 11 to 20, as part of the Qatar Basketball Federation’s preparations for a demanding international schedule, including the continuation of the Asian and Oceania qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027.
The camp represented a key phase in the national team’s build-up, with head coach Hakan Demir overseeing an intensive programme aimed at enhancing physical fitness, technical performance, tactical awareness, and team cohesion ahead of a series of decisive fixtures.
Throughout the training camp, players participated in daily sessions focused on improving conditioning, refining individual and collective skills, and implementing offensive and defensive systems that the coaching staff plan to deploy during the qualification campaign. The programme also addressed technical aspects identified during previous matches to ensure the team is fully prepared for upcoming challenges.
The Antalya camp forms part of the federation’s broader strategy to sustain the strong performances Qatar has demonstrated throughout the qualification process. The national team has delivered several notable results, reflecting the continued progress of the country’s basketball programme and its growing competitiveness on the continental stage.
Qatar began its qualifying campaign with a narrow 75-74 defeat to Lebanon in Doha before producing one of its most memorable results in recent years by defeating Lebanon 86-83 in Beirut. The away victory provided a significant confidence boost and highlighted the team’s ability to compete successfully against established Asian basketball powers.
The team followed that success with an emphatic 99-73 victory over India in Doha, further strengthening its qualification prospects and building momentum ahead of the next stage of competition.
Following their return to Doha, the national team will continue preparations with two international friendly matches against Tunisia on June 23 and 25 at Al Gharafa Hall. The fixtures will provide valuable competitive experience and allow the coaching staff to assess player readiness ahead of official matches.
Qatar will then host Saudi Arabia on June 29 at Al Gharafa Hall in a postponed fixture from the second qualifying window before travelling to Ahmedabad, India, to face India on July 2 in the third qualifying window.
The team will conclude this phase of the qualifiers with a second encounter against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on July 5, a match that could prove pivotal in determining leadership of Group D.
The upcoming fixtures carry considerable importance, with Qatar, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia currently level at the top of Group D on five points each, while India occupies fourth place with three points. The closely contested standings leave both qualification and top spot in the group firmly up for grabs as the campaign enters its decisive stage.
