DUBAI // When asked how tall he is, Jasim Abdalla answers using feet and inches, as basketball players always do.
But when he says "6-6", meaning six feet and six inches (1.98m), he has a conspiratorial smile; he is not nearly that tall, and he knows we know it.
"I think everybody beats us in size," the forward for the UAE national team said. "It seems like every team we play has four guys 6-7 or 6-8 or more. We do the best we can."
The UAE's height issues came to the fore again last night as they lost 86-61 to the Ittihad Alexandria club of Egypt in the quarter-finals of the 23rd Dubai International Basketball Tournament at the Al Ahli club.
The Egyptians outrebounded the UAE 54-35 and made a living making lay-ups against their far shorter opponents, such as Abdalla, who ought to be defending a perimeter player but must play under the basket on the height-deficient UAE side.
"We have some tall guys coming up," said Abdalla, who was born in London and plays for the Sharjah club. "But they must learn how to play."
The Egyptian club had two 7-footers, and they scored 20 points, took 20 rebounds and gave the UAE few easy shots. Abdalla led the UAE with 20 points and 13 rebounds, but the UAE were not in the game after a 17-0 Ittihad surge in the second quarter gave them a 50-27 lead.
Mounir bin Sulaiman, the Tunisian who is the technical director for the UAE Basketball Association, said he was not troubled by the lopsided result. "We cannot think short-term," he said. "This game was good experience for Ahmed and the others. They will learn from this."
The UAE played without Rashid Al Zaabi, their most gifted player, who is out with personal issues. They got 11 points and six rebounds from Qais Omar Al Shabebi and eight points each from Khalil Salem and Mohammed Al Braiki.
The national team's next international assignment is the GCC Cup, in Bahrain, in September.
The Al Ahli club, reinforced for this tournament by three foreign players, including Cheikh Samb, a 7-footer from Senegal who has played in the NBA, have better prospects of advancing to the semi-finals when they play the Almaty club from Kazakhstan at 7pm tonight.
Samb reportedly is earning US$32,000 (Dh117,542) during this multinational tournament, and two Americans have been brought in on 15-day, $10,000 contracts, including Chester Mason, a former collegiate star.
The semi-finals are to be played tomorrow and the final is Saturday at 6pm.
poberjuerge@thenational.ae
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Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
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Apple Watch Series 4
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BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
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