Action from the Qatar Men’s Basketball League at the Al Gharafa Indoor Arena yesterday.
Doha: Al Rayyan pushed hard late in the final quarter to upstage a fighting Qatar Sports Club 87-75 of the Qatar Men’s Basketball League at the Al Gharafa Indoor Arena yesterday.
Qatar SC came out blazing at the start of the match, leading 10-2 with ex-Al Rayyan import Chauncey Leslie taking charge.
Al Rayyan clamped down on defense to limit their foes’ output in the next stage and went on to cut the deficit at 24-20 at the end of the first quarter.
Rayyan picked up speed at the onset of the third and equalised at 24-all but Qatar SC ran the brakes and rolled out a 10-2 run for a 34-26 lead after three minutes.
The cat-quick Boney Watson would then lead a 9-3 assault to put Al Rayyan a basket closer at 37-35 before giving his team their first taste of the lead, 39-37, with three minutes left in the second quarter. Qatar SC tied the game in the ensuing play for a 42-all count at halftime.
Al Rayyan pushed hard in the third session to wrest the lead but Leslie kept the fire burning for Qatar SC and gave them a 66-63 advantage after three quarters.
Watson carried the scoring for Al Rayyan with 24 points.
Earlier, Al Gharafa came back from an 11-point deficit early in the third period and held off a determined Al Wakra, 66-58.
The Peninsula
