Harsh Dagar, three-pointers key as India down higher-ranked Bahrain to seal FIBA Asia Cup 2025 berth

India’s three-point conversion again played a key role in their win against Bahrain in FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.

The Indian men’s basketball team secured their spot in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 with a hard-fought 81-77 victory over Bahrain, finishing undefeated in the Final Qualifying Tournament. Harsh Dagar emerged as the star of the night, leading the Cagers with 28 points, converting 10 of 13 field goals, and posting an impressive 30 EFF. On the other side, Bahrain’s Mustafa Rashed shone with 30 points and seven assists.

India set the tone early, with Dagar scoring the first basket through a strong drive, picking up right where he left off in the Iraq game. Brimming with confidence, Dagar dominated offensively, attacking from both the perimeter and inside the paint. He closed the first quarter with 13 points.

Bahrain’s Mohammed Hamoda opened the scoring for the hosts, while Rashed found his rhythm from beyond the arc. Despite India building an 11-point lead, Bahrain rallied in the closing minutes, reducing the deficit to 25-20.

India Qualifies for #FIBAAsiaCup 2025!! 🇮🇳🎉The Blue Cagers stun a higher-ranked Bahrain🇧🇭 in their own home to book their flight to Jeddah. 🥳📸 @FIBAAsiaCup #Basketball #FIBAAsiaCup2025 pic.twitter.com/oUNLcBKHuA

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) March 23, 2025

The second quarter saw both teams struggle to find the basket, remaining scoreless for the first three minutes. India finally broke the drought with Gurbaz Singh Sandhu’s three-pointer, igniting an 11-2 run. Sandhu drained two more threes and converted a layup, forcing Bahrain to call a timeout.

Also Read: India stun Bahrain in final qualifier book spot in FIBA Asia Cup 2025

Rashed responded with a scoring burst, notching eight quick points that prompted Indian head coach Scott Flemming to call his own timeout. With stern instructions to return to perimeter shooting and avoid unnecessary drives, India maintained a slim 39-36 lead at halftime.

The third quarter began with controversy as Palpreet Singh Brar was assessed a technical foul, giving Bahrain a free throw to narrow the gap. Despite the setback, Muin Bek Hafeez took control for India, replicating his previous performance against Iraq. Hafeez caught fire from beyond the arc, scoring eight points in the quarter.

Defensively, Brar and Pranav Prince delivered key blocks on Bahrain’s Devon Chism, stunning the home crowd. Dagar capped off the quarter with a clutch three-pointer, giving India a 62-53 advantage.

Also Read: ‘I can’t imagine my life without India’ – Coach Scott Flemming’s vision, adaptation and nurturing Indian basketball ‘brick by brick’

Bahrain refused to back down in the final quarter. Rashed and Chism carried the scoring load, chipping away at the deficit. Despite Dagar’s individual seven-point run, Bahrain clawed their way back. A crucial three-pointer from Rashed brought the game within one point with under three minutes remaining, and Subah Azzam’s basket gave Bahrain their first lead of the second half at 77-75.

India’s response was immediate. Arvind Kumar Muthu Krishnan answered with a cold-blooded three-pointer to reclaim the lead. With 13 seconds left, Bahrain fumbled a critical in-bound pass, handing possession back to India. Muthu Krishnan was fouled, calmly sinking both free throws to seal the 81-77 victory and India’s qualification for the FIBA Asia Cup.

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India’s three-point conversion again played a key role in their win against Bahrain. Dagar looked like a scoring first guard and his former self in this match. The team improved their rebounding grabbing 48 boards, significantly improving from the previous game.

Bahrain almost made a comeback, and it was their game if they didn’t make those critical errors in the final moments. The turnover trouble surfaced again which was overshadowed by three pointers, but the team has to keep that in check.

“This is now our third win in the Asia Cup Qualifiers, and these are uncharted areas that we haven’t had for a long time in India,” said the elated head coach Scott Flemming, who again showcased his dance skills while celebrating their win in the locker room. The focus will be on the draws which will take place on 8th April at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

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