By Danotzki Santos
DOHA: Al Rayyan got a big lift from new recruit Jerome Davidson in the third period as they beat Al Arabi 79-60, to grab top honors in Group 2 and forge a head-to-head battle with Al Gharafa in the semifinal round.
Al Rayyan were riding high on an 83-70 trashing of Qatar SC before this game and kept their streak to four wins at the expense of the defending champions.
Davidson, Al Rayyan’s lanky centre, carried the scoring chores early in the third period, burying 10 points out of his team’s 12 that brought them to a 47-45 cushion.
Tangi Ngombo would then take over and combine with the No. 24 for a 14-7 scoreline in the remainder of the period thrusting Al Rayyan’s break-away with a 61-52 bulge going into the final canto.
Coach Brian Rowsom’s wards were on top and ran away with the lopsided win.
Jalloh Abdullai waxed hot early and led Al Arabi to a 10-4 advantage five minutes into the game.
But Al Rayyan’s Harold Boney Watson found his mark thereon to propel his team to a 19-16 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Wingman Suleiman Braimoh drilled one from the rainbow arc to open the second period and padded Al Rayyan’s lead to 22-16. But Mansour Elhadary strung up five consecutive markers to help Arabi wrest the upperhand hand, 23-22.
The white shirts prevailed in the ensuing blazing exchange of baskets, and hanged-on to the driver’s seat by the end of the first half, 35-32.
Al Rayyan face Al Gharafa, second placer in Group 1, while Group 1 front-runners El Jaish, meet Al Arabi in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile in another game that was played yesterday at Al Gharafa Sports Hall, Al Shamal edged Wakra, 84-81.
THE PENINSULA
