DOHA: Qatar Basketball League (QBL) leaders AlRayyan and Al Sadd will be in action today as round two hostilities resume at the Al Gharafa Indoor Arena.
The defending champions, Al Rayyan, face Al Ahli in the openining match at 4:00pm.
Al Rayyan will be aiming to to start the round on a positive note and improve to 8-1, and stay half a game closer to tournament trailblazer Al Sadd.
Al Sadd are expected to notch their ninth win against Al Wakrah in the the late match at 8:00 pm.
It will be Al Sadd’s second match in as many days, as they also played their first game of the second round on New Years Day.
Al Sadd beat Al Ahli, in the loopsided 59-42 curtain-raiser, in what was their eighth-straight win of the season.
On Wednesday, Al Arabi improved their win record to seven by beating Al Wakrah, 98-70, in a game that drew game-long brilliance from the prolific trio of Abdulai Jalloh, Alvin Mofunanya and William Byrd.
The trio all registered double-doubles in the scoring and rebounding departments and combined for 81 points and 35 rebounds.
Mofunanya had 29 points and 10 rebounds while Jalloh contributed 27 and 10.
Byrd led in rebounds with 15 aside from chipping in 25 markers at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall.
Meanwhile, Al Gharafa, parading new reinforcement in FIBA-veteran Rasheim Wright, overpowered Qatar Sports Club, 88-67.
The America-Jordanian Wright contributed to 27 points and dished out 6 assists to cap a sterling league debut with a much-needed win for his team who improved to a 5-4 win loss card.
Qatar Sports Club will be aiming to get back on track when they face Eljaish in tomorrow’s match that starts at 5:15pm in the evening.
Meanwhile, Al Gharafa will be looking to pick up maximum points when they face Al Arabi in Saturday’s late match at 7:15pm.
In the second round, held on New Year’s Day on Tuesday, El Jaish trounced Al Shamal, 74-49, banking on a balanced scoring to register their seventh win in nine outings.THE PENINSULA
