Syria hosts first international basketball tourney in years

By ALBERT AJI
Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria has hosted the first international basketball tournament on its soil in at least two decades, bringing an Asia region World Cup qualifying game to a packed stadium in the capital Damascus. The game Monday with Kazakhstan, which Syria lost 81-71, saw the national team play at home for the first time since the civil war in Syria disrupted security and upended regular life in the country. The head of Syria’s basketball federation says preparation for hosting this part of the tournament has been taking place for over six months.