The first game is scheduled for 4 p.m. tomorrow, when Shabab Al Ahli take on Syria's Aleppo Police in Dubai.
The Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Basketball Tournament runs from 15 to 21 October at Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Sports Hall in Al Mamzar. Shabab Al Ahli is hosting with support from Dubai Sports Council. The UAE Basketball Association supervises the event, while Global Active Sports handles operational organization.
For the hosts, the opener offers an immediate test against a regional opponent. Aleppo Police's squad includes Jaden Martin. Shakur Boutiat is also in the lineup. Jabari Narcisse completes the three named players.
Three games are scheduled for the first day. After the hosts' opener, Kuwait's Al Qurain play Lebanon's Antonine Baabda. Al Riyadi Beirut then face Al Wasl in the final game of the day. The schedule places that matchup after Antonine Baabda's game against Al Qurain.
Group A pairs Shabab Al Ahli with Aleppo Police. Al Qurain and Antonine Baabda complete the group. In Group B, Al Wasl share the bracket with Al Riyadi Beirut. Egypt's Al Ahli and the Philippines' Angas make up the rest of that group. Al Ahli's squad includes Adam Afifi, who has played US college basketball and in the Dominican Republic.
The group stage ends on 18 October, followed by a rest day on 19 October. The top two teams in each group advance to the semi-finals on 20 October. The other four teams play classification games. The final and placement matches are scheduled for 21 October, with the final set for 9:15 p.m. UAE time.
Dubai Sports Council is also listed as a tournament sponsor. Majid Sultan, the club's executive director of the sports games sector, described cooperation with the federation as a foundation for the event's success. The tournament joins a UAE sports calendar that spans multiple disciplines, including Sharjah's dhow racing.
