The 24th edition of the Dubai Duty Free Championship for Arab Basketball Clubs will begin today, Wednesday, in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh, with the participation of nine teams divided into two groups. The first includes Iraq’s North Gas, Kuwait’s Al-Qarin, Morocco’s Majd Tangier, and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Asima, while the second includes Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy in the first Arab participation, Moroccan Al-Kawkab, Algeria’s Kossidar, and Gift Star of Somalia and Senharib of Iraq; Beirut of Lebanon, the holder of the title in the last three edition will be absent of this Championship. The first round will witness three matches, the first between North Gas and Al-Asima, starting at 14:00, Moroccan time, followed by the Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy and Senharib at 16:00, followed by the opening ceremony, then Al Kawkab and Gift Star at 19:00.
The preliminary round continues until next Sunday, then the teams will have a rest day, followed by the quarter-finals on Tuesday, in which the first of the first group will meet with the fourth of the second group, the first of the second group with the fourth of the first group, the second of the first with the third of the second, and the second of the second with the third of the first, provided that the semi-finals take place on Wednesday, the tournament will conclude on Friday, September 15.
On the other hand, Major General M. Ismail Al-Karqawi, President of the Arab and UAE Basketball Federations, arrived yesterday in Marrakesh to follow up the championship competitions and crown the champion team, stressing upon his arrival that the new version will achieve more successes in light of the teams’ preparations and their desire to achieve the title in the absence of Lebanon and Tunisia, the most victorious in this championship. Al-Karqawi stressed that women's basketball in the Arab world has made tangible progress in recent years because of the clubs' interest and the Arab Federation's keenness to organize this tournament and other competitions, he referred to the current season which witnessed three women's junior championships in Jordan, teams in Egypt and clubs in Morocco, and the remainder of the programs of this year, the men's clubs championship will be held in Qatar next month, and the men's teams will be held in Egypt at the end of November.
Lebanese superiority
And a Tunisian chase
With a quick look at the golden record, the Lebanese basketball team remains at the top of the standings with ten titles, all in the last 20 years, including three for Beirut, two titles each for Homenetmen, Riyadi, and Antranik, and one for Al-Hikma, compared to 9 titles for Tunisia, three for the stadium, two for each of Sfax and Al-Hilal, and one for Al-Amal, while the Egyptian teams won three titles, two for Sporting, one for Al-Ahly, and finally the Algerian Petroleum Complex with a single title in 2016.
العربية