Al Arabi, Al Sadd to clash in Amir Basketball Cup final

Doha, Qatar: Al Arabi and Al Sadd set up a heavyweight final in the Amir Basketball Cup 2025-2026 after securing decisive semi-final victories yesterday at Al Gharafa Hall.

Al Arabi powered into the title showdown with a commanding 89-70 win over Al Ahli, while Al Sadd booked their spot with a convincing 87-72 win over Al Rayyan.

Al Arabi, coached by Hatem Mamlouk, closed the first quarter 24-18, and extended the lead to 52-25 at half time. Al Arabi’s dominance continued in the third quarter as they stretched the margin with a 19-point lead by the end of the period before securing the strong win with the same margin.

Elmedin Kikanovic led Al Arabi with 17 points and added 9 rebounds. Mustafa Husein Ali Ahmed Rashed contributed 15 points, while Abdelrahman Abdelhaleem scored 14. Sindou Ismael Diallo also played a key all-round role with 11 points and 6 assists, matching the game-high assist tally.

For Al Ahli, Taylor James Adway scored a game-high 18 points. Nigel Armoni Johnson added 14 points and led his side with 6 assists.

Later, at the same venue, Al Sadd set the tone early with a 23-21 first quarter, but Al Rayyan staged a 17-11 comeback in the second quarter to snatch the lead 38-34.

Oussama Abdenacer Arfa of Al Sadd shoots to score.

Al Sadd outscored Al Rayyan 27-21 in the third quarter to create a gap heading into the final period before pulling away with a strong 26-13 fourth quarter score to seal the win in dominant fashion.

Moustafa Fouda was the star of the day for Al Sadd with 21 points and 7 assists, while Dejan Janjic added 20 points. On the boards, Oussama Abdenacer Arfa also stood out with a game-high 13 rebounds, giving Al Sadd control of second-chance opportunities.

Al Rayyan relied on Rion Cortez Brown, who scored a game-high 23 points. Abdulla Mousa added 15 points. Malik Romero Curry was the star playmaker with a game-high 11 assists, but all those efforts were not enough to save Al Rayyan from going down.

The final is scheduled for tomorrow at 6:30PM at Al Gharafa Hall.