Prep time: The Qatar team at a training session ahead of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in Chennai.
| Photo Credit: R. Ravindran
Qatar is grooming its team for the future with an eye on the 2027 World Cup, which it will be hosting. Having a host of players in the u-19 age category, Qatar, under new coach Hakan Demir, may be short of experience, but it does possess hoopsters with rapid speed and exceptional shooting skills.
In his second stint as India’s head coach, Scott Flemming has been focusing on shooting, which India failed miserably in crunch situations in the first two matches of the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers 2025 when it lost to Kazakhstan and Iran.
Qatar, too, will be under pressure, having lost its first two matches to Iran and Kazakhstan. India will have to improve its defence and, most importantly, shooting, when it takes on Qatar in a Group-E clash in the second window of the qualifiers at the Nehru Indoor Stadium here on Friday.
Flemming has been with the boys since July, getting them to improve their shooting. “We’ve really worked on our perimeter shooting. But if we shoot like I know we’re capable of, I think that’ll be our strength. And we’ve got a couple of veterans, big men, who can do that,” said the 66-year-old American.
Qatar is in good form, having finished second in the King Abdullah II International basketball cup held in Amman (Jordan) a few days back.
Twenty-one-year-old Indian point guard Pranav Prince said India is ready for the challenge. “The first half against Iran and Kazakhstan in the first window were quite close, which means we can compete against any team. We lost because of lack of experience towards the end of the game.
“We will have to win two of the next four matches, including away ties against Qatar and Iran in the third window if we have to qualify for the finals in Saudi Arabia next year,” he said.
India, with quite a few experienced players, will be bolstered by the return of 32-year-old forward Amjyot Singh, who is coming back from a foot surgery.
Published – November 21, 2024 06:07 pm IST
