The Lebanese basketball players defending against Qatar at the end of the match in Lusail on Nov. 27, 2025. (Credit: Screenshot taken from a live video broadcast shared on social media)
BEIRUT — The Lebanese basketball team won their first qualifying match for the upcoming 2027 Basketball World Cup in Lusail, Qatar.
Ahmad Farran’s squad, playing their first official game under his leadership, edged out the tournament hosts by the narrowest of margins, 75-74, according to information published on the website of FIBA, the International Basketball Federation. Lebanese-American naturalized player Dedric Lawson was Lebanon’s top scorer with 16 points.
Lebanon had a 12-point lead in the first quarter (9-21). Qatar recovered some ground in the second (17-21), and both teams scored the same number of points in the third (17-17), before Lebanon narrowly avoided a scare in the final quarter (31-25).
The other match in this group saw Saudi Arabia face India, who lost by a margin of more than 20 points (75-51). All teams in this group will play each other twice during these qualifiers.
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