Players battling for the ball in this file photo.

KUWAIT CITY, April 17: Basketball fans are set for a thrilling showdown tonight at 6:30 PM at the Basketball Association Hall in the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex, where Kuwait Club faces off against Qadsia in the final game of the second division of the Merger League.

Despite both teams already securing their spots in the semi-finals, alongside Kazma and Al-Qurain, this encounter promises excitement and high-level performance. Kuwait Club enters the match unbeaten, topping the standings with 29 points after a flawless run. Qadsia, meanwhile, sits second with 27 points, having suffered losses to Al-Qurain (80-96), Al-Sulaibikhat (97-101), and Kazma (94-104).

Regardless of tonight's result, Qadsia is set to face Kazma in the semi-finals, while Al-Qurain, in fourth, will take on reigning champions Kuwait in a best-of-three playoff series.

Qadsia's Spanish head coach, Javier Munoz, sees tonight’s clash as a vital tune-up ahead of their semi-final bout. He’s counting on key local talents such as Abdulaziz Al-Humaidi, Abdulmohsen Al-Moussawi, Abdullah Tawfiq, Rashed Al-Rabah, Saud Al-Ibrahim, and veteran Mohammed Ashkanani, in addition to foreign stars David Elono, Cedric Henry, and Jonathan Williams.

On the other side, Kuwait Club's Serbian coach Oliver Kostic has led his team through a dominant campaign, employing a deep rotation that includes standouts Hamad and Mohammed Adnan, Hussein Al-Khabbaz, Turki Hamoud, Musaed Al-Otaibi, Alexander Al-Ghais, Imran Johar, and Yousef Al-Hamdan. The trio of professionals—Jakar Sampson, Augustin Orbet, and Robert Lowry—has also played a key role in their success.

While tonight’s result won’t alter the semi-final matchups, the historic rivalry between Kuwait Club and Qadsia ensures a highly competitive and unpredictable encounter.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff