Al Sadd square off against Qatar Club with eye on semi-finals.
Doha, Qatar: Basketball enthusiasts will be in for a treat as the Qatar Basketball Federation Men’s League reaches a crucial stage today. The decisive round of the nine-team league competition kicks off at 8:30PM when Al Sadd, currently placed third in the points table, square off against Qatar Club – ranked seventh. The game will be followed by a thrilling battle between Al Wakrah and Al Shamal, placed eighth and fifth respectively, at 10:30 PM.
Tomorrow, two significant clashes take place, with Al Gharafa – ranked sixth, testing their strength against bottom-placed Al Khor, while fourth-ranked Al Ahli face reigniting champions Al Arabi in a crucial game.
Al Rayyan, placed at the top of the standings four points clear of closest counterpart Al Arabi, have already played 16 games and will not take to the court in the final leg.
Looking back at the previous round, the high-flying Al Rayyan fended off a stiff resistance by Al Arabi to secure a hard-fought 80–75 win as they tightened their grip at the top of the points table.
The victory helped take their points tally to 30 from 16 games, while Al Arabi held on to second place with 26 points.
Al Ahli also sealed a dominant 81-66 win over Al Gharafa, boosting their total to 25 points and keeping their semi-final hopes alive.
The rest of the table remains fiercely competitive, with Al Shamal occupying fifth place with 24 points, ahead of Al Gharafa in sixth with 19. Al Wakrah sit in eighth position with 18 points, the same as Al Khor who went through a dismal run this season.
Following the 16th round, the top-placed team will take on the fourth placed, and the second-placed side will meet the team finishing third, in the semis scheduled for March 17.
From there, the best-of-three series starting on March 20 will decide who moves on to the final showdown. If neither team clinches a decisive victory, a third game will take place on March 22 at Al Gharafa Hall. On April 3, 7, and 10, the championship will be determined in a best-of-three series among the two finalists, while the losers of the semis will face off for third place on April 7 before the League wraps up.
