Doha – :
The Al Gharafa Hall witnessed two exciting matches on the evening of Saturday, January 10, 2026, as part of the General Basketball League competitions for the 2025-2026 sports season. Al Rayyan and Al Sadd managed to register crucial victories that strengthened their positions in the standings and intensified the race for the top spot as the decisive rounds approach.
In the first match, Al Rayyan delivered a dominant performance both offensively and defensively, securing a convincing 103-71 victory over Al Wakrah. With this win, Al Rayyan claimed the league leadership by a single point ahead of their closest rival.
The game started strongly for Al Rayyan, who imposed a fast pace and effective court spacing, relying on high defensive pressure and precise offensive coordination. This allowed them to dominate the first quarter by a wide margin of 29-11, leaving Al Wakrah struggling to regroup.
Al Rayyan maintained their technical superiority in the second quarter, preserving tactical discipline while varying their offensive approaches through mid-range shooting and quick ball movement, ending the first half leading 50-26 in a match where Al Wakrah found it difficult to match the tempo.
The third quarter saw Al Wakrah regain some of their form, intensifying their defense and shooting with greater accuracy, managing a narrow 23-22 quarter win. However, this was not enough to change the course of the game as Al Rayyan maintained a clear advantage.
In the final quarter, Al Rayyan reasserted their control and gradually widened the gap by capitalizing on mistakes and executing fast-break transitions, ultimately closing the match with a score of 103-71 – a result that confirms their strong form this season.
On an individual level, Babacar Dieng was Al Rayyan’s top scorer with 23 points and was awarded the “Best Qatari Player of the Match” prize, sponsored by “Mosafer” company and valued at 100 USD. For Al Wakrah, Mubarak Rashid scored 18 points, highlighting his efforts despite the pressure of the game.
In the second match, Al Sadd achieved an important victory over Al Shamal with a final score of 105-88, in a game characterized by excitement and fluctuations throughout all four quarters.
Al Sadd started strongly, controlling the first quarter 32-28, and continued their dominance in the second quarter 23-19, securing a comfortable lead by halftime.
Despite Al Shamal’s attempts to improve their performance in the third quarter, where they managed to win it narrowly 23-22 by imposing their style, Al Sadd stayed focused. In the final quarter, Al Sadd pulled away decisively, scoring 28 points to Al Shamal’s 18, sealing the victory.
Mustafa Fouda was the star of Al Sadd, leading all scorers with 31 points, earning him the “Best Qatari Player of the Match” award, also sponsored by “Mosafer”. Meanwhile, Tyree Quanell Crump scored 30 points for Al Shamal, delivering an outstanding individual performance.
With these results, Al Rayyan increased their tally to 25 points at the top of the standings, leading by one point over Al Arabi in second place. Al Sadd sits in third position with 22 points.
Meanwhile, Al Wakrah occupies fifth place with 19 points, tied with Al Shamal in sixth place.
