Asia Cup· Season 2026
Palestine beat hosts Kazakhstan 80-67 at the Baluan Sholak Sport Palace in Almaty to go 3-0 in Group B of the FIBA Asia Cup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers.
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Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Palestine entered on the back of two emphatic wins — 110-69 over Kyrgyzstan on 26 August and 121-63 against Sri Lanka a day later. Kazakhstan had opened their campaign on 27 August with a 71-point win over Maldives.
Friday's clash was expected to be the toughest test in Group B for both sides, and the final margin — 13 points — was Palestine's narrowest of the tournament so far after two blowout victories. Kazakhstan had averaged 114 points per game coming into the fixture; Palestine held them to 67, a 41-point reduction on that average.
FIBA's official match report for Palestine's earlier games identified Brian Halums as a key catalyst, while Amr Areikat led the scoring against Sri Lanka with 28 points and Omar Suleiman top-scored against Kyrgyzstan with 23. For Kazakhstan, veterans Rustam Murzagaliyev and Antony Bykov had shared scoring honours against Maldives with 16 points each.
The Asian rivalry between the two nations has been close historically: before today, the head-to-head stood at one win apiece over the last three meetings since 2015, with the overall series at 3-1 in Kazakhstan's favour dating to 2014. Palestine's only prior win in the series was an 83-81 result at the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.
The Turning Point
Specific quarter-by-quarter data from this fixture was not published at the time of writing, but the 80-67 final scoreline indicates Palestine built and maintained a double-digit lead against a Kazakh side that had shown explosive offensive capability against weaker Group B opposition.
Key Performers
Brian Halums (Palestine) — The guard was a difference-maker across Palestine's two opening wins and, by FIBA's account, sparked the decisive runs that carried the WABA side through their group fixtures. His ability to break pressure and score in transition was central to Palestine's tempo.
Rustam Murzagaliyev (Kazakhstan) — The veteran was one of the Steppen Wolves' most consistent performers across the tournament. He shared scoring honours against Maldives with 16 points and was instrumental in Kazakhstan's attempts to close the gap.
Antony Bykov (Kazakhstan) — FIBA's report from Kazakhstan's opener noted Bykov narrowly missed a double-double in the win over Maldives. His size and rebounding at the forward position were key to Kazakhstan's interior game.
Player of the Match: Not officially announced at the time of writing.
By the Numbers
Palestine's 80-67 win was their smallest margin of the tournament (previous: 41 pts vs Kyrgyzstan, 58 pts vs Sri Lanka), but the defensive performance was their most significant. Holding Kazakhstan — who scored 114 in their opener — to 67 points represents a defensive improvement of 41 points per game for the Kazakh attack. Palestine's own scoring slipped from 115.5 points per game across their first two matches to 80 here, reflecting the step up in opponent quality.
What It Means
Palestine (3-0) lead Group B with two group games remaining in Almaty. Kazakhstan (1-1) remain in strong position for a top-three finish but now trail the group leaders. The top three from each First Round group advance to the Second Round.
Palestine next face Maldives on 30 August. Kazakhstan take on Kyrgyzstan on the same day, followed by Sri Lanka on 31 August.
Verdict
Palestine arrived in Almaty with a roster deep enough to handle three games in three days, and their win over the host nation on its home floor sends a clear statement. Kazakhstan matched up far better than Palestine's previous two opponents but could not contain the WABA side's balanced attack. The two could meet again deeper in the competition — and Kazakhstan will have learned from this defeat.
Rivalry since 2014
Palestine vs Kazakhstan Head to Head Results· 4
Palestine and Kazakhstan have met 4 times — Palestine won 1, Kazakhstan won 3, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2014. Kazakhstan leads the head-to-head with 3 victories from 4 meetings. A combined 590 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 147.50 per match (265 for the home side, 325 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 4 matches (100%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 4 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 83–81 in 2015.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 31 Aug 2026