Saudi basketball team knocked out of Asia Cup after 74-64 loss to Jordan

The Saudi national basketball team has been eliminated from the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup after losing 74-64 to Jordan in Jakarta on Saturday.

The Falcons needed to win their last Group A match and hope that Australia beat hosts Indonesia to have any chance of progressing, but defeat to Jordan rendered the other fixture irrelevant.

Saudi Arabia had started brightly and led Jordan 21-19 at the end of the first quarter.

The Jordanians came backs strongly in the second quarter and went into halftime with 39-27 lead. They maintained their dominance in the second half to lead 59-43 at the end of the third quarter.

Despite some spirited play by the Saudis in the closing stages of the match to close the gap on their opponents, Jordan still ran out winner by 10 points.

Top scorer for the Falcons was Khalid Abdel-Gabar with 19 points, followed by Muthanna Al-Marwani, who managed 14.

Saudi Arabia on Thursday night lost their second match at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup, going down 76-52 to defending champions Australia, having also lost their opening Group A match 80-54 to Indonesia on Tuesday.