KUWAIT (FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup) - Hosts Kuwait rode on Abdulaziz Mohammed's MVP performance to beat India 81-69 in the second FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup on Thursday.
Mohammed returned a game-high 23 points and got splendid support from Abdullah Alsarraf and Ahmad Almutairi.
Alsarraf succeeded three times from behind the arc for his 16 points to kick off Kuwait's rally in the second quarter. Almutairi accounted for 15 points, including four three-pointers, to seal the issue in the fourth.
Robinson, coming back to the National Team after a long gap, led the scoring for India with 14 points.
The 200cm center struggled initially to find his bearings, but came into his own in the second half, scoring 12 of his 14 points.
India began rather confidently, with Vijobi Vakkachan leading the scoring to take his team 20-10 ahead at the end of the first quarter.
Kuwait found their rhythm midway through the second quarter, began to narrow down the lead as Alsarraf led a 19-7 run to put the hosts ahead (29-27) for the first time in the game.
India managed to hold on to a 31-30 lead at the end of the first half, but Kuwait had regained their composure.
The two teams shared the honors in the third quarter, which ended locked at 53.
Kuwait found the much needed support from the partisan crowd at the Al Qadsia court to boost their chances, with Almutairi sinking two three pointers in the dying moments.
"Although we won, I'm really not satisfied with the way we played," Kuwait coach Zoran Kreckovic said.
"May be it was the first game nervousness. I hope they improve from here," he said.
"I think the final five minutes of the second quarter and the first five minutes of the third proved crucial in the end," India coach Aleksandar Bucan said.
"Once they got back into the game, they just rode on the home support," he said.
Scores
Kuwait 81 (Abdulaziz Mohammed 23, Abdullah Alsarraf 16, Ahmed Almutairi 15) bt India 69 (Robinson 14, Trideep Rai 14). Quarterwise Scores: 10-20, 30-31, 53-53.
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