South Korea and Thailand impress

dubai — South Korea, Morocco and Turkey showed great early form, while Thailand stunned pre-tournament favourites Japan on the opening day of the 10th Fazza International Wheelchair Basketball Championships that is being held at the Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club in Al Mamzar.

On Sunday’s first day of the competition, South Korea got their campaign off to a promising start with a 71-32 win over Taiwan, while last year’s runners-up Japan received as rude shock as they went down 46-67 against fellow Asians, Thailand.

But it was casual for North Africans Morocco as they powered their way to a 71-24 win over South Africa, while Turkey went on to tame hosts UAE 71-24 in the last of the four matches held on the first day of this five-day event.

In the opening match, there was no doubt on the superiority of the South Koreans as they held a firm control throughout the encounter. Korea outscored Taiwan 20-4 in the opening quarter, but saw their fellow Asian competitors draw nearer in the next two periods with runs of 14-10 and 11-10. But the Koreans settled in well in the final period to once again outscore them 26-8 to notch their first full points before they prepare to take on the UAE on Monday.

Morocco was the other team to impress as they stifled debutants South Africa 16-2 and 28-13 at the end of the first two quarters. By the third, the North Africans were steaming ahead to emerge easy winners in the end.

Hosts UAE never seemed to find their rhythm as they surrendered meekly to a 24-71 loss to a superior-built Turkey in the day’s third match, while the biggest upset of the opening day came when Thailand went on to upset last year’s runners-up Japan 67-46.