ABU DHABI: The USA men’s national basketball team made their first appearance in the UAE on Friday night, beating Greece 108-86 in front of a sold-out crowd at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
The match was part of a double-header on day two of the inaugural International Basketball Week. In the earlier game, Mexico beat Lebanon 88 – 70, with Joshua Ibarra scoring a team-high 20 points for Mexico.
Lebanon, Mexico, Egypt, Germany, Greece and the US are all taking part in International Basketball Week — a series of exhibition games ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which will take place in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan from Aug.
25 to Sept. 10. Reflecting on their time in the UAE, Mexico’s head coach Omar Quintero said: “It’s always good to finish with a win before the World Cup to give us that confidence.