In the first game of the night, Mexico triumphed over Lebanon 88-70, with Joshua Ibarra leading Mexico with 20 points, the highest team score. Lebanon and Mexico, along with Egypt, Germany, Greece and the United States, are participating in International Basketball Week, a series of friendly matches ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, taking place August 25-September 10 in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan will take place.
Looking back on the past week, Mexico national team head coach Omar Quintero said: “It’s always good to finish before the World Cup win to give us confidence. We have a tough group to face but we feel prepared.”
“The fans and crowd have shown us so much love since we arrived, it’s incredible that Abu Dhabi is promoting basketball here – the fans, the hospitality and the arena are incredible.”
In the second game of the evening, Team USA secured a 108-86 win over Greece. When Team USA made their first appearance in the region, they took a 32-17 lead early in the first quarter and never looked back. The USA was led by the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards, who scored a game-best 21 points. Greece was led by Nikos Rogkavopoulos and Panagiotis Kalaitzakis with 12 points each.
During the game, fans enjoyed the entertainment and atmosphere provided while chanting “GO TEAM USA” throughout.
Center Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz) said, “It was a lot of fun, we have incredible depth in our team, so all 12 of us are incredibly talented and we’re all playing right.” Greece are obviously very talented, they’re very physical , so I would say it’s an advantage to play them now before the group game at the World Cup.
“My experience in Abu Dhabi so far has been great, people are so friendly, hospitality and food is amazing.”
Both the USA Basketball Showcase and International Basketball Week underscore the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi’s commitment to strengthening Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a global sporting destination with a diverse entertainment calendar that appeals to mass audiences.
The result of a multi-year partnership between the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi and the National Basketball Association (NBA), last year saw the inaugural NBA Abu Dhabi Games, which will be held again later this year when the Dallas Mavericks The Minnesota Timberwolves will face off on October 5th and 7th as part of the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023, presented by ADQ. Both initiatives underpin the emirate’s sports and entertainment strategy and are directly in line with the capital’s international stance as an innovative events innovator.
Tonight Germany meets Greece, with Team USA in action again on Sunday night, this time against Germany. The USA vs. Germany game will be broadcast live in the region on Starzplay.
Team USA includes NBA All-Stars Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks) and Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year Jarren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), and 2022-23 Rookie of the Year , Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic) under the watchful eye of head coach Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors). In Germany, the brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner (Orlando Magic), Dennis Schröder (Toronto Raptors) and Daneil Theis (Indiana Pacers) are represented.
