The Republic Youth Basketball Championship for the 2024-2025 season kicked off on Thursday evening at the Al-Ahly Club Hall in Sana'a. The championship is organized by the Yemeni General Basketball Federation with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Five teams will compete in the five-day tournament: Al-Wahda Sana'a, Shaab Hadramaut, Al-Ahly Sana'a, Sayoun, and Al-Barq Tarim. The tournament is held in a single-round, all-vs-all format, with two matches per day.

The competition concludes next Monday with the crowning of the champion and runner-up. The opening match resulted in a valuable victory for Shaab Hadramaut over Wahda Sana'a, 65-51. Shaab entered the match strongly from the start, performing relatively better than Wahda, and winning the first period 17-14.

In the second period, Wahda Sana'a imposed its relative superiority over the course of the game, exploiting some errors from Shaab Hadramaut's players, managing to secure a 19-16 victory. Hadramaut's players then regained control of the third period, which they won by a significant margin, 20-8.

Despite Wahda's attempts to close the gap in the fourth and final period, Shaab Hadramaut's superiority continued, securing a 12-10 victory. The match ended with Shaab winning 65-51 for Wahda.

With this result, Shaab Hadramaut secured their first two points, while Wahda Sana'a earned a single point. Hadramaut's Ahmed Basaid was awarded the Player of the Match award. In the second match, Al-Ahli Sana'a achieved its first victory in the tournament, defeating its guest, Sayoun. Al-Ahli outperformed its opponent, winning all four periods with a final score of 71/47.

Al-Ahli dominated the first period of the match, ending 16/7 in their favor. Sayoun's performance improved in the second period, but the relative superiority of Al-Ahli's players enabled them to win this period by only two points, with a score of 13/11.

Al-Ahli's superiority continued in the third quarter, amid attempts by Sayoun's players to close the gap, but the score ended 20/16 in Al-Ahli's favor. Al-Ahli, however, was able to impose its control in the fourth and final period of the match, securing a 22/13 victory. The match ended with the home team winning 71/47.

With this result, Al-Ahli Sana'a secured its first two points, while Sayoun earned its first point. Al-Ahli Sana'a player, Adi Al-Aji, was awarded the Most Valuable Player of the Match award.

The opening ceremony was attended by the President of the Yemeni General Basketball Federation, Abdul Sattar Al-Hamdani, the Secretary-General of Al-Ahly Sana'a Club, Mohammed Al-Yarimi, the Federation's Advisor, Abdul Karim Al-Halali, and the Deputy Director-General of Federations at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mohammed Al-Ansi.

Two matches will be held tonight in the second round of the tournament. In the first, Al-Wahda Sana'a will face its guest, Sayoun, while in the second round, Shaab Hadramaut will face Al-Barq Tarim.