NUR SULTAN (Kazakhstan) - Sani Sakakini looked drained in the moments after the final buzzer sounded. In the background, the Kazakhstan national team and the fans at Jekpe-Jek Saraiy were celebrating their hard-earned victory. It couldn’t contrast more with the emotions on the Palestine bench after a 79-76 loss.

Sakakini looked blank, trying to process the undesired result of the game.

He had put in a classic performance, the best so far in the early stages of the Asia Cup Qualifiers. Kazakhstan had no answer for him as he exploded for 44 points with 6 three-pointers and 10 rebounds, but Sakakini would most likely trade in those numbers in exchange for a win.

The last time these two teams played at Asia Cup 2015, Sakakini also had a big game of 32 points and 18 rebounds. That time, Palestine won in overtime.

The 31-year-old stared at the scoreboard one last time, before finally accepting his teammates’s extended hand of comfort and placed his hands on his knees to rest. He deserved a breather after playing all 40 minutes in this game.

The pain of the loss stings, but Sakakini knows that the road to Asia Cup Qualification has only just begun.

“It’s a six-game series in this group, not just one game,” Sakakini said in the postgame press conference. “We got one good thing is that we lost by only 3 points, so that is important for us. We will go home to play against Sri Lanka now, and we will prepare for it. We will have two home games in November and we are going to be ready for it.”

Palestine head coach Paul Coughter and Kazakhstan head coach Emil Rajkovikj showered both teams and Sakakini for their performances in an exciting matchup. However, just as Sakakini's turn at the podium was about to end, he took control of the microphone one last time to deliver one last message.

“I just want to tell everyone that I’m proud of each and everyone on my team,” Sakakini said. “I don’t if anyone knows, but none of those guys are professional players, everyone is working or studying at the same time, just playing basketball on the side.”

“None of those players, except me, is a professional player. Jamal [Abushamala], for example, came from the states two days before preparation.”

“These guys left their jobs and their families just to come and be with the national team. None of them is taking money, so I really want to thank each and everyone on this team. The coaching staff, coach Paul, the federation, and the players.”

“Especially the players, because I know the effort they did just to be here and show that Palestine has some good basketball to show, I really want to thank them.”

“it’s nothing about my 44 points; it’s all about them. I want to thank them in front of everyone and all of them are my brothers.”

Sani Sakakini had 44 points in regulation game time, but this emotional assist to credit his teammates afterward might just be one of the most important “plays” to jump-start the future of Palestine basketball.

FIBA