Basketball

Al Nasr fell to a defeat against visiting Shabab Al Ahli in the second leg of the UAE Men’s Basketball League final, held today evening at Rashid bin Hamdan Hall at Al Nasr Club.Shabab Al Ahli secured an 88–77 victory, having already won the first leg on their home court in Al Mamzar.With this result, Al Nasr settles for second place, finishing as runners-up in the Men’s Basketball League for the 2025–2026 season. 

Al Nasr’s first basketball team will take part in the Damascus International Tournament from October 8 to 16, alongside a number of leading Arab clubs, as part of the team’s preparations for the new league season.The tournament will give Al Nasr an important opportunity to improve fitness levels and strengthen the understanding between the players, especially following the arrival of American professionals Anthony Carr and Cornelius Hudson, while Taylor Stone has renewed his contract with the club.It will also provide valuable playing time for the younger players and the rest of the squad, with Hassan Abdullah, Mamadou N’Diaye and Saleh Sultan currently sidelined through injury.The tournament will feature several well-known teams, including Al Ittihad Alexandria, Al Rayyan of Qatar and Club Africain of Tunisia, as well as the Syrian Olympic team and hosts Al Wahda.Al Nasr enter the new season with high ambitions after reaching the finals of all four official competitions last season and winning both the UAE Cup and the Vice President’s Cup.With Egyptian head coach Hossam El Wakil continuing in charge, the club is looking to build on last season’s success and compete strongly on both the domestic and regional stages, including the Gulf Elite Championship, which serves as a pathway to the West Asia Super League.

Al Nasr (“Al Ameed”), the defending champions, moved a step closer to the UAE Basketball Cup final after securing a dominant 95–74 victory over Al Bataeh in the first leg of the semi-final.The opening quarter was evenly matched, ending 22–22, before Al Nasr took control in the second quarter with a commanding 29–13 run. They maintained their advantage in the third quarter (22–17), while the final quarter ended level at 22–22.Al Ameed had reached the semi-finals after defeating Al Wasl in both legs, winning 110–95 in the first leg and 100–85 in the return match.The second leg is scheduled for Sunday, with Al Nasr hosting Al Bataeh at Rashid bin Hamdan Hall. 

Al Nasr Basketball Team continued its strong run in Group B of the first preliminary round of the Men’s Open Federation Cup, recording three consecutive victories over Al Jazira, Al Wahda and Sharjah to move to the top of the group with six points.Al Nasr opened its campaign with a 94-82 win over Al Jazira, securing its first two points of the competition.In the second match, the team maintained its winning form with a convincing 94-70 victory over Al Wahda, making it two wins in a row.Al Nasr then confirmed its place at the top of the group with an important 88-82 win over Sharjah in the third match.With three wins from three games, Al Nasr completed the first leg of the preliminary round with a perfect record, leading Group B with six points. 

Al Nasr secured a well-deserved and impressive victory in a thrilling match against their guest, Shabab Al Ahli, with a score of 83–81. The dramatic encounter took place at Rashid bin Hamdan Hall at Al Nasr Club, allowing Al Nasr to successfully retain the UAE Men’s Basketball Cup title for the third year in a row.The game was marked by intense competition and momentum swings between the two rivals. Al Nasr edged the first quarter (25–24), while the contest remained tight in the second quarter, ending the first half in a 46–46 tie.At the start of the third quarter, Al Nasr managed to widen the gap significantly to (65–52). However, their opponents fought back, narrowing the deficit by the end of the quarter to (69–65).Excitement peaked in the final quarter, with the score tied in the closing minutes at (79–79) and again at (81–81). Al Nasr ultimately relied on their experience in the dying seconds to seal the win at 83–81.“Al Ameed” was led to this achievement by a distinguished technical staff headed by coach Hossam Al-Wakil, alongside outstanding contributions from the team’s stars, notably captain Saleh Sultan, professional player Mamadou, and the American duo Marvel Harris and Taylor Stone, all of whom delivered heroic performances throughout the match.

Al Nasr Basketball Team claimed second place in the UAE Open Federation Cup for Men following a narrow 103–100 loss to Shabab Al Ahli in the final played yesterday at Shabab Al Ahli Hall in Al Mamzar.The final delivered an exciting and closely contested game, with both teams battling intensely until the closing seconds. Al Nasr produced a strong performance in the fourth quarter and came very close to securing the title, driven by an impressive offensive comeback and outstanding three-point shooting.Harris, Hassan Abdullah, and Roy Devine led the scoring surge for “Al Ameed,” helping the team regain momentum and put the title within reach during the final minutes.However, a few decisive moments late in the game allowed the hosts to edge ahead and secure the win in the final stages. 

Mr. Salem bin Ali, Board Member of Al Nasr Sports Games Company, held a meeting with the club’s basketball team officials to review the latest preparations ahead of the new sports season.During the meeting, Salem bin Ali conveyed the greetings of H.E. Abdulrazzaq Al Hashemi, Chairman of Al Nasr Sports Games Company, who praised the efforts of the administrative and technical staff, as well as the players, throughout last season.He also congratulated the teams on their achievements and encouraged everyone to continue working hard in the new season, with the aim of competing for more titles and building on last year’s success.The meeting covered the teams’ readiness and preparation programs, as well as their technical and administrative needs, to ensure the best possible environment ahead of the start of official competitions.Following the meeting, Salem bin Ali attended a training session of the men’s basketball team, where he met with the players and the technical and administrative staff and followed the team’s preparations for the new season.Speaking to the players, he stressed the importance of making a strong start to the season and giving their best in both training and matches. He encouraged them to compete for titles and continue the success achieved last season.Al Nasr’s basketball teams enjoyed an impressive campaign last season. The men’s team won both the UAE Cup and the Vice President’s Cup, while the youth team claimed the Basketball League title. The Cubs team completed a league and cup double, and the Minibasket team were crowned league champions.Salem bin Ali concluded by highlighting the importance of teamwork, ambition and focus from the beginning of the season, as the club looks to build on last season’s achievements and achieve further success in the year ahead. 

The draw for the UAE Men’s Basketball Cup has resulted in a strong matchup between Al Nasr and Al Wasl in the first round of the tournament, which features the participation of 8 clubs.In the youth category, the draw placed Al Nasr against Al Wahda in the Youth Cup competition.In the men’s league, Al Nasr lost its most recent game to Sharjah with a score of 100-87, after having won the first leg at Sharjah Club’s hall with a score of 88-83.Competition between Al Nasr and Sharjah intensifies in the playoff stage, as both teams are level on 6 points from 4 games, with two matches remaining for each side, in a tight race to secure the second spot in the final.

Our first basketball team continued its brilliance, successfully defending the UAE Basketball Cup title for the second year in a row after a well-deserved 78-71 victory over Shabab Al Ahli in the final held at Kalba Club Hall.Al Ameed started the game strongly, finishing the first quarter ahead (18-16), before falling behind in the second quarter, which ended in favor of Shabab Al Ahli (25-18). The first half concluded with the opponents leading (41-36).In the second half, the stars of Al Ameed showed great fighting spirit and made a strong comeback to win the third quarter (61-60). They then asserted their dominance in the final quarter despite the exit of star player Mohammed Harath on his fifth foul. The team secured the victory with a decisive double from captain Saleh Sultan, sealing the match at (78-71).Following the final whistle, the trophy ceremony was held in the presence of Sheikh Saeed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Deputy Head of His Highness the Ruler’s Office in Khorfakkan, who presented the team with the cup and gold medals.The ceremony was also attended by Major General (Ret.) Ismail Al Qarqawi, President of the Arab and UAE Basketball Federations, and Mr. Salem bin Ali, Board Member of Al Nasr Sports Company and General Supervisor of the Basketball Sector at the club.

Rashed Bin Hamdan Hall at Al Nasr Club will host the Dubai International Basketball Championship, featuring 10 teams in its 34th edition, taking place from January 24 to February 2.The championship’s preliminary round will be played in two groups. Group A includes the UAE National Team, Al Nasr Club, Oman Union Jordan, Beirut Club (Lebanon), and Strong Group (Philippines). Group B consists of Tunisia’s National Team, Sharjah Club, Ahli Tripoli (Libya), Al-Hikma Club (Lebanon), and Zamboanga (Philippines).