Players fighting for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 16: Al-Qadsiya's first basketball team secured a thrilling victory over Kazma with a narrow 119-118 win in overtime after regular time ended in a 106-106 draw. The intense matchup, part of the sixth round of the league, took place at the Federation Hall in Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Complex. Another nail-biter in the same round saw Al-Arabi edge out Al-Sulaibikhat 88-87.

With these results, Al-Qadsiya climbed to the top of the league standings alongside Kuwait, both tied at 8 points. Kazma now holds 6 points, the same as Al-Nasr, followed by Al-Arabi and Al-Sulaibikhat with 5 points each. Al-Qurain sits at 4 points, with Al-Tadamon and Yarmouk at the bottom with 3 points each.

The showdown between Al-Qadisiyah and Kazma began with a dominant 15-6 run by Al-Qadisiyah, led by Abdulaziz Al-Hamidi's drives and Croatian Zubic's inside plays. However, Kazma quickly regrouped, exchanging leads with their rivals before Al-Qadisiyah ended the first quarter ahead, 30-27.

The second quarter saw both teams trading leads again. Al-Qadsiya's Saad Al-Rifai and American player Green excelled with three-point shooting, while Kazma's French star Johnny Berhanemeskel and Abdulrahman Al-Sahou kept its team in the game with sharp shooting and effective rebounding. The quarter ended with Al-Qadisiyah holding a slim 67-62 lead.

The third quarter continued the back-and-forth battle. Kazma's Canadian star Johnny Johnson shined in the final two minutes, helping his team close the quarter with an 86-81 lead.

The fourth quarter delivered peak excitement as both teams excelled in scoring inside and outside the arc. Regular time concluded with a dramatic 106-106 tie, forcing five-minute overtime. In a heart-stopping finale, Al-Qadisiyah edged out Kazma by a single point, securing a 119-118 victory.

The clash between Al-Arabi and Al-Sulaibikhat mirrored the drama of the Al-Qadsiya-Kazma match. Al-Arabi started strong, winning the first quarter 22-16, but Al-Sulaibikhat fought back, claiming both the second (48-44) and third quarters (74-66). However, Al-Arabi mounted a fierce comeback in the final quarter, overturning the deficit to snatch a thrilling 88-87 victory.

Both matches showcased incredible skill and determination, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next round of the league.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff