A team effort by Al Gharafa players ensured their team’s win over Al Ahli in the Qatar Men’s Basketball League match at Al Gharafa Sports Club yesterday.
Even a 32-point effort by Terrence Lavalle Joyner Jr. could not prevent a loss for Ahli as Gharafa went on to win 108-69.
Ahli got off the blocks first and their 2-0 advantage was their biggest lead in the match. After Gharafa went on a seven-point scoring run, Ahli stitched up a six-point run of their own. But thereafter, what had looked like a close match turned out to be a one-sided affair with Gharafa leading for a total of 38 plus minutes and finishing with a 39-point margin at the buzzer.
For Gharafa, Abdulrahman Mohamed Saad was the top-scorer with 24 points, while Omar Abdelkader Salem added 17, and Nedim Muslic, Kevin Dwayne Galloway and Emmanuel Osaro Adako pitched in with 14 points each. Hassino Ndoye scored 13 points.
Apart from Joyner Jr’s 32 point haul, Mustafa Elsadiq and Ndoye Elhadj Seydou got into double figures for Ahli with 12 and 11 points respectively.
In the second match of the day, Al Shamal overturned a three-point deficit at half-time into a nine-point 85-76 win against Al Wakrah.
Mildon Ambres was the leading scorer for the eventual winners in the match with 30 points ,while Mohamed Kamal Hachad added 25 and Abdulqadir Kosar 20.
Apart from four two-pointers and three-pointers each, Ambres dunked all ten free-throw attempts for his 30 points.
For Wakrah, Boney Harold Watson was the leading scorer with 25 points, while team-mates Adamu Saaka added 17, and Ahmed Yousif al-Darwish and Mohamed Seleem Abdulla pitched in with 13 points each.
The league will return to action on Tuesday after a day’s break. Qatar SC will take on Al Rayyan in the first match at 5:30pm while El Jaish will face Al Khor at 7:30pm.