TRYING TO BREAK FREE: Action from second match of the best of five semi-final series between Al Rayyan and Al Gharafa yesterday. PICTURE: Othman Iraqi

By Danotzki Santos/Doha

Al Rayyan shackled Al Gharafa in the dying minutes of their second match last night to pull off a nerve-wracking 68-66 win and avenge their 64-73 loss to the latter in the first game of their best-of-five semi-final showdown.

Jerome Davidson and Mohamed Hassan Mohamed converted five crucial free throws from the stripe off desperation fouls caused by shackling defense on their foes on the other end to lift the former QML champions from a 63-66 deficit with less than a minute in the game.

Coach Brian Rowsom and his wards chased Al Gharafa all night, trailing most of the way and by as much as 16 points midway in the third quarter before finding their rhythm as the game reached the homestretch.

Coach Koussay Hatem’s wards were on a roll at the onset, with spitfire Earl Calvin Cage blazing hot in the first period drilling 11 markers to secure a 19-16 edge for Al Gharafa at the end of the first period.

Omondi Robin Amoke and Victor Hakim Thomas would then combine in a 12-5 run for the hosts early in the second period to increase their lead to 31-21 before Al Rayyan behind Davidson and compatriot Harold Boney Watson gave their team a six-point lift against a lone basket by their rivals to chop the deficit to 27-33.  From a 36-29 count at half-time, Thomas scattered six straight markers defying Rayyan’s tight inside defence to steer a 14-5 assault that gave Gharafa their biggest lead at 50-34 midway in the third period.

The black shirts banked on Suleiman Braimoh and Davidson’s efforts in the remainder of the period as they inched closer, 50-43, as the game went to the final 10 minutes.

The Rayyan behemoth hit back-to-back fade away jumpers and Braimoh added a slam at the start of the fourth period to bring their team to within 1 at 50-49 before Thomas and Awako Emanuel scored a basket each to give Gharafa some breathing space at 55-49.

Watson helped Rayyan stay close behind their rivals at 53-58 and as Targuy Ngombo found his range hitting back-to-back treys, the black shirts came breathing down Gharafa’s neck at 58-59. The white shirts were still led at 66-63 with a minute left in the match but lost the ball in a couple of possessions to crumble in the endgame.

Later in the night, El Jaish cashed-in on a tight attempt at the basket off a last 8-second play and escaped with a 72-70 victory to come a win away from clinching a final’s berth.

Al Arabi, playing sans the injured Jalloh Abdulai, fought toe-to-toe against Army in the early periods, with the count standing at 18-all at the end of the first and 35-33 in their favour before the half-time break.

William Byrd paced the white shirts in the early going scoring 21 of his 27 points in the first half.

El Jaish, with Ali Turki dominating the floor, came out with a 9-2 flurry to snatch the lead at the start the third quarter but Mansour Elhadary and company surged back to cut the lead to two at 42-44.

Mohammad Bakir and Turki then combined to pump Army up and even as Byrd chipped in 6 more to Arabi’s cause the red shirts finished the third ahead 52-50.

Alvin Mofunanya took over early in the final period and brought Arabi to a 60-all stand-off with four minutes left in the game.

Khalid Masoud al-Nassr hit back-to-back rainbows and Broxsie added a twinner to put Arabi back in the lead 70-66, with 1:30 remaining in the game.

Fadi Abilmona and Ngab Ngom drilled one each to tie the game at 70-all.

Tomorrow’s matches: Al Gharafa Indoor Hall: 5:00    El Jaish     vs    Arabi ; 7:00    Rayyan     vs Gharafa.