Al-Qadisiya and Kuwait Club on brink of final spots
KUWAIT CITY, April 15: Al-Qadisiya and Kuwait Club are on the brink of securing spots in the Basketball League final following their recent victories. Al-Qadisiya triumphed over Kazma 85-81, while Kuwait Club overcame Al-Arabi 104-100 in the first round of playoff matches in the tournament’s semi-finals.
The semi-finals employ a playoff format consisting of three matches, with the team winning two matches advancing to the final. The final itself will follow the same format but with five matches.
In the initial encounter, both teams remained evenly matched throughout, showcasing an enthralling display of sportsmanship with Al-Qadisiya leading at the end of the first quarter 27-19, the second 40-35, and the third 62-57 before ultimately clinching victory.
Kuwait Club, the defending champion, faced a formidable challenge from Al-Arabi in the second match. Despite Al-Arabi’s impressive performance, Kuwait Club’s experience proved decisive in securing victory. Led by Haitian player Cady LaLanne’s prowess under the basket and contributions from Marcus Hunt, Hamad Adnan, and Alexander Al-Ghais, Kuwait Club led 23-13 at the end of the first quarter and 47-43 at halftime.
The third quarter saw both teams exchanging leads, highlighted by standout performances from Ali Al-Hadhud of Al-Arabi and Tony Carr of Kuwait Club. Al-Arabi maintained a narrow lead of 73-71 by the end of the quarter. The intensity peaked in the final quarter before Kuwait Club ultimately emerged victorious.
However, the match concluded on a contentious note as friction arose between Kuwait Club player Hamad Adnan and Al-Arabi’s Hassan Bormeh. Interventions from both teams’ management prevented the situation from escalating further.