KAZ / QAT - Qatar let Kazakhstan off the hook

KUWAIT (FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup): Kazakhstan posted a 77-76 win against Qatar in the opening game of the FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup on Thursday.

Trailing 39-52, midway through the third quarter, Qatar fought back gallantly to go ahead 76-74, when Hammam Ismail struck from inside the paint with about three minutes left in the game.

But the rest of the duration saw Qatar falter in otherwise regulation attempts and go barren in the final three minutes of the game.

Vsevolod Fadeikin converted a free-throw and Alexander Tyutyunik struck from the wing to give Kazakhstan the win.

Qatar's Erfan Saeed led the scoring for the game with 27 points and was adjudged the MVP.

Anton Ponomarev scored four three-pointers in his team-high 21 points for Kazakhstan.

"I think beating an opposition like Qatar was very important for the confidence of my boys," Kazakhstan coach Vitaly Strebkov said.

Kazakhstan had lost 69-78 in the William Jones Cup 2008, the last time the two had met.

"I'm happy with the result, but definitely not happy with the way we let them fight back a big deficit," Strebkov said.

With little to choose between them - in terms of enthusiasm as well as efficiency - both Kazakhstan and Qatar went neck and neck for the entire first half.

Qatar led the first quarter 16-13, but Kazakhstan fought back with a 22-18 advantage to close the first half 35-34 ahead.

The tone of the game seemed to continue in the early stages of the third quarter.

But Tyutyunik, who last month spearheaded Kazakhstan to the silver medal in the FIBA Asia U18 Championship, scored 10 of his game's 17 points to give Kazakhstan a 52-39 lead. That was the largest difference for either team in the game.

"I think the boys got a little complacent at that stage," Strebkov said.

"Our defense began to slacken," he added.

"I'm glad they missed too many in the final minutes," Strebkov heaved a sigh of relief.

"I think I can be proud of the way the boys fought back from that deficit," Qatar coach Kent Davison said.

"But I think we made too many mistakes in the final moments and couldn't seal the issue," the American said.

"Defeats in tournaments like these only toughen out the team for the bigger battles," Davison said.

"Let's not forget we have come here without three of our experienced players. So it's time for those on the wing to get the experience. Such defeats are normal in the learning process.

Scores

Kazakhstan 77 (Anton Ponomarev 21, Alexander Tyutyunik 17, Rustam Yargaliev 14) bt Qatar 76 (Erfan Saeed 27, Mansour Elhadary 14). Quarterwise scores: 13-16, 35-34, 62-59.