By Sports Reporter/Doha


El Jaish will meet Al Rayyan in the finals of the Qatar Men’s League after they beat Al Sadd in their deciding semi-final playoff game at the Al Gharafa Club yesterday.
Fine performances from Leon Macklin and Larell Taggart, who scored 26 and 22 points respectively, helped El Jaish defeat Al Sadd 87-71 and clinch the three-match series 2-1.
The best-of-three finals will be played from Sunday.
El Jaish, who had won the first match after which Al Sadd had drawn level, proved way too superior in the decider as they stamped their authority from the very outset.
In fact, so dominant were El Jaish in the first five minutes that they were 12-0 ahead as Al Sadd chased shadows.
The next five minutes saw Al Sadd settle into some sort of rhythm but El Jaish still scored rapidly to lead 25-8 at the end of the first quarter.
Al Sadd hit a purple patch in the second quarter during which they scored 24 points, but El Jaish were comfortably ahead at 42-32 when it ended.
El Jaish won the third quarter comfortably but Al Sadd threw everything into the final period to score 24 points.
That was too little too late, however, as El Jaish also scored 26 points to seal victory.
Aiding Macklin and Taggart were Hani Abilmona and Harold Watson who scored 13 and 12 points respectively.
For Al Sadd, Rashad Woods top-scored with 18, Abdulrahman Saad had 16 while Tyrone Anderson chipped in with 14.
Al Sadd coach Dragoslav Milovanovic was thrilled with his team’s success.
“We were confident throughout we would come out winners,” he said. “We were aware of the importance of a fast start and that was what we did. We managed to capitalize on our initial dominance and clinch the issue,” Milovanovic added.