Scouting Report: Bahrain

Moniker: Al Theeb Al Ahmar (The Red Wolves)

Qualification: Placed second in the 2012 Gulf Subzone Tournament to qualify. Beat Oman, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, but lost to Qatar in the Finals.

Last FIBA Asia Appearance: 2011 – 0 wins & 5 losses – Lost to China, the Philippines, UAE, and Indonesia.

Roster:

Name, Age, Height, Position

CJ Giles, 28, 6’11″, Center

Bader Malabes, 26, 6’2″, Guard/Forward

Mohammed Hussain Ebrahim, 26, 5’10″, Guard

Hussain Al-Tawash, 27, 5’10″, Guard

Mohammed Quwayed, 24, 6’4″, Forward

Ahmed Ismael Abdulaziz, 23, 6’0″, Guard

Ali Abdulredha, 23, 5’11″, Guard

Younes Quwayed, 25, 6’4″, Forward

Subah Hanafi Azzam, 20, 6’5″, Center/Forward

Abdulrahman Mubarak, 25, 5’10″, Guard

Ahmed Najaf Akbar, 22, 6’5″, Center/Forward

Ahmed Malallah, 32, 6’2″, Forward

* Due to dearth of information on Team Bahrain, the height measurements of some players may not be accurate.

 

Key Players:

1. CJ Giles – Many Pinoys will remember Giles as one of the candidates Gilas “tried on” for naturalization. He was a good fit for coach Rajko Toroman’s system a couple of years ago, but his attitude was not exactly his most endearing trait. Now that he has a found a home with the Red Wolves, I am pretty sure he is out to prove, in front of the Filipinos, just how wrong Gilas was to drop him. Giles has the potential to lead the whole tournament in blocks and rebounds, while also being a very capable scorer. He can operate down low or shoot the occasional jumper. He is the biggest reason Bahrain will surely improve on its 15th place finish in 2011.

2. Bader Malabes – Definitely the most familiar face on the Bahrain roster, Malabes will experience a homecoming of sorts in Manila. The former De La Salle Green Archer never did seem to find his bearings here in the Philippines, but he is somewhat of a hardcourt hero in Bahrain. In the 2011 Wuhan joust, Malabes was BRN’s leading scorer, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues to lead them here. I am itching to watch his match-up with India’s Vishesh Bhriguvanshi in the first round, but the problem is all of the Red Wolves’ Group D games will be held at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Bleh.

Point of Interest:

Ready to Rise? – The addition of Giles instantly increases the competitiveness of the Bahrainis. Though they are missing some key veterans (the most notable is veteran forward Ahmed Al-Mutawa), I am sure this Gulf nation is ready to make some noise. On a good day, which means Giles will be dominant and the rest of the guys will make their threes, Bahrain has the potential to upset even the Kazakhs for leadership in Group D.

Tournament Outlook:

Though Kazakhstan is the one pegged to top Group D, the Bahrainis should not be discounted. They fought toe-to-toe with Qatar in the 2012 Gulf Finals, losing by just 6 points. I have Bahrain as a slight favorite over the Indians, but I highly doubt if the Red Wolves will find any success in round 2. – Rappler.com