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Sports / Basketball

Al Arabi in Emir Cup semi-finals

Published: 10 Apr 2013 - 12:32 am | Last Updated: 02 Feb 2022 - 02:34 pm


Action from the Emir Cup basketball match between Al Ahli and Al Arabi at Al Gharafa Stadium yesterday. Al Arabi won 93-84. RIGHT: A match official prepares to pass on the ball for start of play. PICTURES BY: WASFY

by Danotzki Santos

Doha: Eljaish held their composure in the endgame, escaping with a narrow 87-85 victory over Al Gharafa last night to secure an Emir Cup basketball semi-finals slot.

Army will face off with Al Rayyan in one of the best-of-three showdowns for the two finals berths. 

Eljaish took an early 15-8 lead in the early going behind Fadi Abilmona’s playmaking savvy until the hosts rolled out a scoring surge and inched closer at 14-15 but waned at the end of the first period to trail 18-23.

Gharafa had an 8-0 run to wrest the upperhand at 26-23 in the first 3 minutes of the second period before Army gained back their composure to stay close at 29-30, with 4:05 to go in the first half.

Eljaish clamped down on defense and took their turn to burn rubber and snatched the lead back at 36-33 as Gharafa’s slotmen Awako Emanuel and Omar Salem ran into foul trouble.

Both teams exchanged a couple of twinners in the ensuing plays to finish the half at 40-37.

Victor Hakim Thomas drew first blood in the third, sinking a lay-up and one off a foul, and buried a triple in the next offensive to put the white shirt ahead before Omar Salem drilled back-to-back treys and made it 49-42.

Mohammad Yussuf took charge for Army and ignited an 8-1 assault to even things up at 50-all.

With Emanuel lurking on the bench, Thomas made it 52-50 momentarily for Gharafa but Ali Turki spearheaded a 16-6 onslaught with his array of rainbow shots to pull Army up to a 66-58 advantage before the final quarter.

Turki kept his fire at the onset of the fourth period and brought Army to their biggest lead at 78-63 halfway in the payoff stage.

Calvin Earl Cage spearheaded an 13-1 counter-offensive for Gharafa capped by Omar’s triple from the left flank as they inched closer, 76-79, with 3:00 remaining in the match.

The count stood at 83-80 with 1:26 to play when Eljaish lost control and Omar banked a twinner to make it 83-82. Eljaish drew a foul in the ensuing possession and with split from the foul lane for an 84-82 tally, Army on top and 32 seconds left in the game.

Gharafa would however muff their chances to grab the upper hand and salvage a win as Coach Hatem Koussay wards succumbed to a pressure in the dying seconds.

Meanwhile, Al Arabi masterfully outplayed Al Ahli in the first match to clinch the third semifinals slot and will face off with Group 1 leader and early qualifier Al Sadd in the other best-of-three series for a final berth.

Last year’s Heir Apparent Cup champions routed the Bradford Cory-led Al Ahli, 93-84.

Al Arabi raced to a 30-22 lead in the first period and soared to their biggest lead a 16 halfway in the second period at 51-35 but Bradford ignited a 9-4 for Al Ahli in the remainder of the period to cut the red shirt’s lead and settled with 55-46 advantage at halftime.

Alpha Bangura came out strong from the break and steered his team within a basket at 55-57 in the first 3 minutes of the third quarter.

Alvin Mofunanya and William Bird then conspired to mount a 16-8 offensive in the balance of the period to finish with a double-digit cushion, 73-63 entering the final stage of the game.

Al Ahli would come to within four early in the fourth at 70-74 but Al Arabi doused their efforts once more as Mathew Rogers asserted his presence on both ends of the floor and helped his team consumate a 19-14 finishing kick to seal the victory.  

The semi-final best-of-three showdowns start on Friday, 12 April at the Al Gharafa Indoor Arena.

The Peninsula