An opponent defends a Kuwait Club player.

KUWAIT CITY, May 22: Kazma and Kuwait Club advanced to the semi-finals of the Federation Cup following thrilling quarter-final victories over Al-Qurain and Yarmouk. The intense matches took place at the Basketball Federation Hall in Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex.

Kazma earned its spot after an 83-78 comeback win against Al-Qurain, while Kuwait Club dominated Yarmouk 148-67. This sets up an exciting semi-final clash between Kazma and Kuwait Club next Monday.

The final semi-final place will be decided tonight at 6:00 pm when Al-Qadsiya faces Al-Arabi.

Kazma trailed through the first three quarters, with Al-Qurain leading 23-13, 41-34, and 64-53, powered by standout performances from Adel Al-Saeed (19 points) and Americans Love (20 points), and Austin (11 points). However, Kazma mounted an impressive rally in the final quarter under coach Yahya Kulaib’s leadership, fueled by key contributions from American Jackson (20 points), Frenchman Berhanemskel (14 points), and Abdullah Rehan (13 points), turning the game around to claim a well-deserved 83-78 victory.

In the second quarter-final, defending champions Al-Abyad showcased their dominance with a staggering 148-67 win over Yarmouk. The team maintained control throughout all four quarters, finishing with scores of 42-15, 84-35, 125-54, and 148-67. Top scorers for Al-Abyad included Aziz Ramadan (21 points), Mohammed Adnan (19 points), Fahad Al-Dhafiri (18 points), and Youssef Al-Hamdan and Alexander Al-Ghais, who each added 17 points.

The semi-finals promise intense competition as these top teams vie for the championship title.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah /Arab Times Staff