Rosa De La (left) of Al Sadd tries to break through the defensive cordon of Al Wakrah Sports Club players during their Qatar Basketball league match at Al Rayyan Stadium, yesterday. PICTURE BY: SHAIVAL DALAL
Doha: Defending champions Al Rayyan started their title defence of the Qatar Basketball League (QBL) on a high note as they carved out a 105-40 win over Al Shamal Sports Club.
Yesterday at the Al Rayyan Indoor Sports Arena, Boney Watson scattered 11 points in the late stage of the third quarter to push Al Rayyan to a whopping 74-32 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Malik SalimAmbadi then led a final 10-minute scoring binge to push Al Rayyan to a 105-40 rout of the northerners.
Ambadi and Watson led coach Brian Rawsom’s boys with 30 and 28 points, respectively. Dauoda Egona scored 17 and tallied 12 rebounds for Al Shamal.
In the second match, Al Sadd fresh from a 91-43 rout of Al Shamal on the opening day were made to toil for each point by Al Wakrah.
Al Sadd had their hands full last night but nevertheless pulled out a 67-65 squeaker over a stubborn Al Wakrah squad. Al Sadd thus garnered its second win in as many outings at the QBL.
Michael Benjamin Southall sank a winner off a feed by Saad Abdulrahman to help the recent Emir Cup title holders escape from a 65-all stand-off with 17 seconds remaining in the game.
Al Wakrah were looking good until the last minutes of the game, getting the upper hand in the early periods, 14-11, 34-23 and 52-44 but succumbed to pressure in the dying minutes as Abdulrahman carried Al Sadd back in the driver’s seat at 60-59, 3:30 left in the game.
Khalid Salman spearheaded Al Sadd’s cause with 20 points and 4 rebounds while Olatokombo Ayeni led Al Wakrah with 27.
Today, Al Gharafa and El Jaish, clash at 5:00 pm, while Al Arabi will try to improve their record to 2-0 as they face Al Ahli in the main game at 7.00pm at Al Rayyan Indoor Hall.
THE PENINSULA
