Doha, Qatar: The semi-finals of the Amir Cup Basketball Championship for the 2024-2025 season are set to commence today.
Each participating team is determined to secure a place in the final and vie for the esteemed title in Qatari basketball.
At 5pm, the defending champion Al Arabi, who lead Group A, will initiate their quest against Al Wakrah at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall, while at 7:00 PM, Group B leaders Al Rayyan will face Al Ahli.
The games will follow a ‘best of three’ format, where the first team to achieve two victories will advance to the final, underscoring the significance of each game.
Consequently, every match will be treated as a crucial ‘early final,’ as teams strive to demonstrate their capabilities and progress to the championship.
Al Arabi, with a commanding position in Group A at 7 points, is under scrutiny, especially after Al Ahli’s successful advancement to the knockout stage with a 79-74 win over Al Shamal.
Al Wakrah, finishing second in Group A with 5 points, aims to maintain their momentum and challenge the reigning champions.
Meanwhile, Al Rayyan, who completed Group B with a flawless record of 6 points, emerges as a formidable contender for the title, having navigated a challenging group.
The initial matches are critical, as teams look to establish an early advantage before the second round on Saturday.
Should teams end up with an equal number of wins, a decisive third match will take place on May 19 to determine which two teams will compete in the final on May 22.
The group stage saw Al Arabi top Group A with 7 points, tied with Al Ahli, who advanced to the play-offs after defeating Al Shamal. Al Wakrah finished second with 5 points.
Al Gharafa, on the other hand, finished third with 6 points but lost to Al Wakrah in the play-offs.
Al Sadd and Al Malik Al Qatari were eliminated from the tournament after finishing fourth and fifth.
In Group B, Al Rayyan established themselves as one of the most prominent contenders for the title after topping the group with 6 points, while Al Wakrah finished second with 5 points.
Al Khor exited the tournament after finishing fourth with 3 points, while Al Shamal finished third.
