Players fighting for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, April 2: Kazma Club’s first basketball team faces a challenging matchup against Al-Qurain at 7:30 pm today in the 17th round of the "Merged" League at the Basketball Association Hall in the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex. The game will be preceded by a 5:00 pm encounter between Al-Sulaibikhat and Al-Yarmouk, also at the same venue.

Al-Sulaibikhat enters today’s match with renewed hopes of securing a semi-final spot following its victory over Al-Qadsiya in the previous round. Their focus is now firmly on collecting as many points as possible. Coach Fahad Barjas aims to guide his team to a straightforward win over Al-Yarmouk in preparation for the more challenging match against Al-Qurain next Monday. In contrast, Al-Yarmouk, having endured several recent defeats—including a heavy 49-118 loss to Kazma—enters today’s game with no pressure and little to lose.

The second game of the day is expected to be the most significant and closely contested, as Kazma and Al-Qurain are tied with 23 points each. Both teams have impressed this season and feature several standout players, both local and professional.

Kazma is relying on its captain, Ahmed Al-Balushi, Youssef Burhama, the Al-Saho brothers—Abdulrahman and Saho—and Abdullah Ibrahim, along with American professionals Dwayne Jackson and Jackson. Meanwhile, Al-Qurain’s coach, Yahya Kuleib, is well aware of his team's capabilities and those of its opponent. He’s eager for another major victory following its historic 96-80 win over Al-Qadsia in mid-March. Al-Qurain boasts several promising young talents, including the standout Adel Al-Saeed. In their first-round match, Kazma triumphed 101-89.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff