Kuwait Club’s semifinal hopes rest on Railways clash

Kuwait Club player blocks a shot from Al Riyadi player.

BEIRUT, Sept. 29: Kuwait Club’s hopes of reaching the semifinals of the West Asia Basketball League (WASL) Finals will be decided tomorrow when they face India’s Railways in the final Group A match in Beirut.

The White Army missed the chance to seal qualification after suffering a heartbreaking 83-82 loss to Lebanese powerhouse Al Riyadi, with a free throw in the final second deciding a thrilling contest.

The two sides exchanged the lead throughout the game, with neither able to establish a decisive advantage before Al Riyadi held its nerve at the death. The victory moved the Lebanese side to four points and secured its place in the semifinals.

Railways kept their qualification hopes alive with a 93-85 win over Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad, moving to three points — level with Kuwait Club, who currently hold the advantage on points difference. Al-Ittihad, on two points, have been eliminated.

Tomorrow’s Kuwait Club-Railways showdown will determine the second semifinalist from Group A, with the winner joining Al Riyadi in the last four.

Kuwait Club will need to cut out the mistakes that proved costly against Al Riyadi and maintain their composure until the final buzzer. Its latest defeat showed how crucial the smallest details can be in a group where the semifinal race has gone down to the wire.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff