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Doha, Qatar: Al Arabi clinched their 10th Qatar Basketball League (QBL) crown, also the second in a row, with a 92-86 win over Al Rayyan in the second game of the finals at Al Gharafa Sports Club court yesterday.
Al Arabi’s Abdulrahman Saad played a game-winning role which included posting 20 points, six rebounds and nine assists as the defending champions retained the title with one game to spare.
The first quarter was tied at 25-25, but Al Arabi found their rhythm in the second quarter to take the lead, outscoring Al Rayyan 25-15.
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While Al Rayyan fought hard in the third quarter, scoring 21-25. They made a valiant effort in the fourth quarter, scoring 25-20 to narrow the gap, but Al Arabi’s overall lead was too much to handle as they stood tall to seal the six-point victory.
Saad was named the Most Valuable Player of the final for his efforts and was supported by Osiris Eldridge who was equally instrumental, contributing 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists during his 30:18-minute stay.
Elmedin Kikanovic delivered 16 points and 6 rebounds, while Abdelrahman Abdelhaleem and Ahmad Saeid Mohamad combined to add 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Despite ending up in the losing side, Al Rayyan’s Justin Wright-Foreman scored a game-high 28 points, while Tyler James Lee Harris recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Demarquis D’Angelo Bost added 13 points and made five assists, but their efforts could not secure Al Rayyan – the most successful club in the history of the League – a 19th title.
Qatar Basketball Federation President Mohammed Saad Al Meghaiseeb presented the trophies to the champions.
Earlier, Al Sadd secured third place in the 2024-25 Qatar Basketball League after defeating Al Ahli 96-86.
The first period in a 25-25 tie before Al Sadd then gained momentum in the second, outscoring Al Ahli 22-18.
They maintained control in the third period with a 28-22 advantage. The fourth period ended in a 21-21 tie, sealing a 96-86 victory for Al Sadd and earning them the bronze medal.
Al Sadd’s standout performer, Skyler Tyrone Flatten, led all scorers with 30 points, while Al Ahli’s Tyree Quanell Crump finished with 29 points.
Al Sadd’s triumph comes on the heels of their semi-final elimination at the hands of Al Arabi. After Al Sadd opened the series with an 87-79 victory, Al Arabi rebounded with a decisive 89-70 win in the second match and sealed their spot in the final with a 91-67 victory in the third encounter.
Al Ahli’s path to the third-place match began when they were denied a place in the finals by Al Rayyan, losing the first two games of their semi-final series (87-79 and 88-66).
