Japan and Morocco enter Fazza final

DUBAI — Japan and Morocco will contest the final of the Eighth Fazza International Wheelchair Basketball Tournament after close semifinal wins at Al Ahli Indoor Stadium on Thursday.

Kazuyuki Kyoya’s squad came through their last-four clash 5952 after being taken to an additional five minutes of overtime by a galvanised Britain, whereas the Moroccans had somewhat less difficulty in accounting for Thailand 67-62.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE will square off in an all-GCC affair to ascertain the fifth and sixthplaced nations.

The tournament hosts scored the most points in a single game at this competition in their 8565 triumph over Kuwait, while the Saudis overcame the Philippines by a 20-point margin too (68-48).

Kuwait and the Philippines will thus be looking to avoid the wooden spoon when they meet in the seventh/eighth place playoff in Al Qusais.

“We produced a very big performance against Thailand in the semifinal, which we started and finished strongly, and we’re all really happy now that we’re in the final,” said Morocco captain Abdelhak El Hadaoui.

“We came third in 2015, but we’re looking for first this year. We’ll have to play very well though as Japan are a really strong team.

“We may have lost our opening pool-phase game against them, but a final is an entirely different match altogether. We’re one win away now from gold medals and we’re ready.”

Japan will be equally as keen to come away triumphant overall, with their resilience and resolve presumably having been strengthened after edging their gripping and grueling battle of attrition and endurance with Haj Bhania’s GB side.

“We weren’t very good offensively, especially in terms of our shooting, in the first half and it was a really tough time for us,” Kyoya commented.

We came third in 2015, but we’re looking for first this year. We will have to play very well though El Hadaoui