Doha : Al Rayyan secured an 84-82 overtime victory over defending champions Al Arabi in the postponed second-round fixture of the 2026-2027 Men’s Basketball League season. The match was played on Sunday evening, October 25, 2026, at the Qatar Basketball Federation Hall.
The win earned Al Rayyan their first two points of the season, while Al Arabi collected one point. The game marked the first league appearance for both teams following the conclusion of their participation in the Arab Clubs Basketball Championship, held recently in Beirut, Lebanon, from October 9 to 20.
The contest was highly competitive throughout, despite Al Arabi making the stronger start and taking a 29-15 lead at the end of the first quarter, capitalizing on their offensive efficiency. Al Rayyan responded in the second quarter, winning it 17-13, before continuing to reduce the deficit by taking the third quarter 22-16.
The intensity increased in the fourth quarter, which Al Rayyan won 15-11, leveling the score at 69-69 and sending the game into overtime. The extra period remained closely contested, but Al Rayyan edged it 15-13 to claim a valuable victory.
Abdullah Yaseen Mousa was one of Al Rayyan’s standout performers, finishing as the game’s top scorer with 25 points.
For Al Arabi, Elmedin Kikanović led the scoring with 22 points while also collecting 11 rebounds.
Statistically, Al Rayyan held the advantage in rebounds, recording 54 compared to Al Arabi’s 40. Al Rayyan also converted 12 three-pointers from 36 attempts, while Al Arabi made six from 34 attempts. In contrast, Al Arabi led in assists with 23 compared to 22 for Al Rayyan, while both teams finished with an identical overall shooting percentage of 41%.
The league will continue on Monday, October 26, 2026, with another postponed second-round fixture, as Al Gharafa face Al Wakrah at 6:00 PM at the Federation Hall. Al Gharafa currently sit fourth in the standings with three points from two games, while Al Wakrah occupy third place with four points from two matches.
Al Gharafa opened their campaign with a 76-68 win over Al Ahli before suffering a 94-72 defeat to Al Shamal in their second game. Al Wakrah, meanwhile, defeated Al Shamal 76-62 and followed it up with a 73-63 victory over Al Khor.
Round Four action is scheduled to resume on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Al Arabi will face Al Ahli at 6:00 PM, followed by Al Rayyan’s meeting with Al Sadd at 8:00 PM. Both matches will be held at the Federation Hall.
