Kazma secures semifinal spot in West Asian Basketball Championship

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DOHA, March 13: Kazma secured its place in the semi-finals of the West Asian Basketball Championship for the Gulf region with a hard-fought victory over host Al-Rayyan of Qatar. The intense match ended 78-77 after two additional periods, with regular time concluding at 60-60. Meanwhile, Al-Muharraq of Bahrain emerged victorious in their playoff match against Shabab Al-Ahly of the Emirates, clinching a spot in the semi-finals with a commanding 116-75 win last Monday.

The “Orange” team secured qualification after winning the first leg in Kuwait last week with a score of 69-61. The semi-final qualification playoffs will follow a “play-off” system of three matches, with the two teams winning two out of the three matches qualifying. This will join Kuwait and Manama of Bahrain, who previously secured their spots as champions of the two Gulf region groups in the preliminary rounds.

The match between Kazma and Al Rayyan was characterized by strength and enthusiasm, with the result oscillating between the two sides until the last seconds of regular time. The tied score of 60-60 led to two extra periods, with Kazma ultimately securing victory with a single-basket difference of 78-77. The game saw a strong start from the Orange team, leading the first quarter 14-11. However, Al Rayyan managed to regain control in the second quarter, resulting in a tied score of 25-25 at halftime.

The match continued with both teams exchanging leads in the third quarter, with Al Rayyan holding a narrow 44-43 lead. The fourth quarter witnessed intense excitement and competition, ultimately ending in a 60-60 tie.

In the first overtime, neither team managed to secure victory, resulting in another tie at 68-68. However, in the second overtime, Kazma gained a slight advantage, propelled by the brilliance of their American professional, Chapman, who scored 32 points in the match. This led Kazma to a hard-earned victory of 78-77, securing their ticket to the semi-finals.

Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

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