A Kuwait Club player dribbles the ball as an opponent defends.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 11: The 11th edition of the Basketball Super Cup gets underway today at the Kuwait Basketball Federation Hall in the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex. The tournament opens with Kuwait SC, reigning Arab champions, taking on Qurain at 5:00 p.m., followed by a showdown between Qadsia and Kazma at 7:00 p.m.

This year, the Kuwait Basketball Federation introduced a new format for the Super Cup, featuring the top four teams from last season’s league, replacing the previous system that only included the league and cup champions. Historically, Kuwait Club has dominated the competition, winning nine titles, while Kazma has claimed the trophy just once.

Kuwait Club enters the tournament with high confidence after clinching the Arab Championship in Dubai last week, defeating Al-Hikma of Lebanon in the final. The victory boosts their momentum as they aim to extend their dominance in the domestic basketball league.

Meanwhile, Qurain, led by Yahya Kleib, is looking to make a strong statement with a positive start in today’s opener.

The second match promises a tough contest between Qadsia and Kazma, both of whom recently competed in the Arab Championship. Qadsia was eliminated in the round of 16 by Al-Manama of Bahrain, while Kazma finished fourth, falling to Al-Arabi of Qatar in the third-place playoff.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff