Players battling for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 27: Al-Qadisiya cruised to a decisive 101-71 victory over Al-Nasr, while Al-Qurain triumphed over Al-Sulaibikhat 90-81 in the Basketball Federation Hall at Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Complex, as part of the general basketball league competitions.

With this win, Al-Qadisiya boosted its tally to 12 points from six matches, securing second place in the standings. Al-Qurain also climbed to 11 points from seven matches, moving closer to securing a spot in the "golden square" alongside Kuwait Club, Al-Qadisiya, and Kazma. Meanwhile, Al-Sulaibikhat’s record now stands at 11 points from eight games.

The clash between Al-Qurain and Al-Sulaibikhat was highly competitive. The "Red" team edged out the first quarter with a four-point lead (24-20). The second quarter, however, saw the lowest scoring in the game, with Al-Sulaibikhat managing 13 points to Al-Qurain’s 11, giving Al-Sulaibikhat a six-point advantage at halftime (37-31).

The third quarter proved pivotal for Al-Qurain, as they erupted with 31 points, thanks to a cohesive team effort led by standout performances. Jones's Mom scored 18 points before leaving the game due to injury, while center Waverly Austin added 24 points and dominated defensively. The young trio of Mustafa Al-Rifai (8 points), Adel Al-Saeed (13 points), and Walid Dazzaz (18 points) also contributed significantly to the victory.

On the other hand, Al-Sulaibikhat struggled to match expectations, with most players underperforming except for the outstanding American Mikey Dixon, who delivered a remarkable 46-point performance. Dixon impressed with his long-range shooting and penetration ability but could not turn the tide for his team. Al-Qurain maintained control of the game until the final whistle.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff