AHMEDABAD (India) - Syria finally put their agonizing wait for a win in the FIBA U18 Asia Cup to an end following a 72-64 stunner of Lebanon in the 2026 competitions at the Veer Savarkar Indoor Stadium on Saturday.
The young Eagles scored the game's first 9 points, took a double-digit lead in the middle chapters, then warded off their foes' fourth-quarter rally en route to collecting their first victory in this competition in 14 years.
According to FIBA records, Syria last won during the 2012 edition in Mongolia, an 86-76 result against India in the Classification Round to finish 9th - and with a 5-3 slate - in the tourney eventually ruled by China.
Then came the harrowing campaigns in their next 2 stints, accumulating a 0-6 record overall in 2018 and 2022 - indeed a forgettable stretch for a program that's won 2 medals in this event, including a silver in 1990.
In fact, the skid even stretched to 7 when the present-day batch lost to New Zealand on opening day, but fans and observers alike felt that they're bound for a breakthrough after giving the powerhouse a run for their money.
And it finally came on Saturday night, doing so against the same team that actually beat them by way of a 79-71 decision during the WABA Qualifiers last July, which the Lebanese conquered via 5-game sweep.
Yusuf Takriti top-scored for Team Syria with 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Yehia Kassas supplied 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, with Antwan Antwan coming through with 12 points off the bench.
Athletic winger Majak Majak notched a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds plus 3 assists and the same number of blocks. Taym Aldassouki also chipped in 11 points as the quintet made up the balanced attack.
Aldassouki and Takriti played crucial roles in the upset, combining for a trio of triples to power the decisive 12-2 run - capped by a Majak slam - to push their lead to a decade's worth at 65-55 with 3:42 remaining.
The opposition still tried to come back behind do-it-all guard Charbel El Herera and Jeffry Khairallah and managed to cut the gap to just 4 points with about 33 seconds remaining, but it proved to be their last gasp.
Abdullah Kabani would ice the game with a perfect trip to the foul line to make it a 6-point spread, 70-64, with 13.2 seconds to spare, and personally settled the final count himself with a layup to end the break.
Syria would go on to erupt in jubilation as they barged into the win column in Group B, hiking their record to an even 1-1 which, more importantly, has put them in at least the Qualification to Quarter-Finals discussion.
In the other game of the group, New Zealand mauled Bahrain, 86-42, to go 2-0 and take the solo lead.
It was total domination for the Junior Tall Blacks, who limited their Gulf counterparts to a measly 15 points in the first half - including just 6 in the second period - while they poured 43 before cruising to the easy W.
Six players scored in twin digits for Oceania crew, with Cole Hopoi showing the way with 16 points and 5 rebounds. Jackson Ball delivered 15 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists as they combined for 6 of the team's 10 treys.
Aubrey Chunga and Harry Kelso finished with identical numbers of 12 points and 9 rebounds. Kingston Kailahi-Aso scored 12 points himself plus 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, while Philip Wickham added 11.
FIBA