Kuwait Club ‘defeat’ Kazma in the West Asian Championship
KUWAIT CITY, March 27: In the first encounter of the semi-finals in the West Asian Basketball League Championship for the Gulf region, Kuwait Club emerged victorious over Kazma with a score of 101-87. Meanwhile, Manama from Bahrain secured a win over its compatriot Muharraq with a score of 86-78 in the other semi-final match.
This stage follows a playoff format of three matches, with the team winning two matches advancing to the final. Kuwait’s basketball team has secured a spot for its representative in the Asian finals, which will feature teams from the Levant region, Iran, and Central Asia. This is guaranteed regardless of the outcome of the Kazma-Kuwait Club matches in the Gulf region final, as both teams in the final will qualify for the continental finals.
BASKETBALL
The match was marked by intense rivalry from the onset, with both teams exchanging scores as they sought to establish early dominance. Kazma gradually gained the upper hand through the exceptional performances of players like Abdulaziz Al-Hamidi, Ahmed Al-Balushi, and the American players Williams and Chapman, ending the first quarter with a 31-27 lead.
Kuwait Club swiftly regained momentum in the second quarter, albeit with difficulty, ending it with a narrow 51-50 advantage.
The third quarter mirrored its predecessors, with both teams displaying a high level of play amidst a slight decline in performance due to the intense efforts exerted. Leads were exchanged before Kuwait Club managed to pull ahead by the end of the quarter, leading 76-71.
In the final quarter, Kuwait Club, known as Al-Abyad, asserted its dominance as its opponent’s performance waned, especially after the injury of Kazma’s player Abdulaziz Al-Hamidi. The match concluded with Kuwait Club securing a 14-point victory.