Kazma drives the ball past an opponent during the league match.

JEDDAH, Jan 13: Al-Qadsiya’s first basketball team faces a pivotal challenge tonight at 6:00 pm against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad in Jeddah, as part of the second division of Group A in the West Asian League Championship for the Gulf region. Meanwhile, Al-Arabi of Qatar will compete against Bahrain’s Al-Manama in another key match in the same group.

The group stage is intensifying, with all teams closely matched, each holding six points. This makes every game crucial for advancing in the tournament. Al-Qadsiya, under the leadership of American coach Stepping, aims to replicate its previous victory over Al-Ittihad in the first division. Al-Qadsiya is eager to bounce back from its recent loss to Al-Manama, leveraging a strong lineup that includes Saleh Yousef, Abdulaziz Al-Hamidi, Rashid Al-Rabah, Abdul Mohsen Murtada, and the American duo Green and Illinois.

In other league news, Kazma delivered an overwhelming 134-52 victory over Yarmouk during the sixth round of the First Division League at Union Hall in Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Hall Complex, increasing Kazma’s points tally to 8, while Yarmouk remains at 5 points after five consecutive losses.

Additionally, Al-Sulaibikhat comfortably defeated Al-Tadamon with a score of 105-61, earning their seventh point in the league standings. Al-Tadamon, despite the loss, holds 5 points.

With teams vying for dominance in both tournaments, the stakes are higher than ever as they push toward securing their spots in the next rounds.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff