Basketball squad regroups for FIBA Asia qualifiers

AMMAN — Jordan’s basketball squad returns home after a training camp in Egypt in preparation for window 2 of Group D qualifiers for the 31st FIBA Asia Cup 2025.

The squad regrouped recently with naturalised player Dar Tucker joining the lineup replacing Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Jordan will next host a four-nation tournament - 12th King’s Cup - which starts on November 16 grouping Syria, Qatar, Palestine and Jordan.

As qualifiers resume, the Kingdom will play Iraq and Palestine on November 22 and 25, hoping to build on earlier wins to take them tothe top of the group. Jordan beat Palestine 73-46 and Saudi Arabia 79-64. In other results, Iraq beat Palestine 75-72 as  Saudi Arabia beat Iraq 64-58.

In window 1, Jordan beat Saudi Arabia with difficulty. Freddie Ibrahim carried the team scoring 24 points including 3 consecutive three pointers in addition to free throws to overturn the Saudi lead. Naturalised pro Hollis-Jefferson had 19 points and Ahmad Duweiri 17.

Most observers concur it was  the individual efforts of key players rather than cohesive  teamwork that allowed them to score expected wins in both matches. That point as well as minimal bench support is Jordan’s biggest weakness. In  window 3 in February, Jordan will face Saudi on February 21, before playing Iraq on February 24, 2025.

A total of 24 teams are playing Round 1 qualification matches for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in three windows. As they also battle for qualifying spots for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup alongside hosts Qatar which automatically qualified. The top two teams of each qualifying group move to the FIBA Asia Cup and the six third-placed teams will play another qualifying round for the final four places. The 31st FIBA Asia Cup will be hosted in Saudi  from August 5-17, 2025.