Al Sadd’s Khalid Suliman Abdi (right) rises to score against Al Manama during their GCC Clubs Championship match yesterday. Sadd won the match 76-69. PICTURE: Anas Khalid
By Sports Reporter/Doha
Qatari teams Al Rayyan and Al Sadd scored fine wins to consolidate their positions in the GCC Clubs Championships at Aspire last evening.
While Al Rayyan edged Saudi Arabia’s Ittihad 85-79, Al Sadd defeated Al Manama of Bahrain 76-69.
American Boney Watson led Al Rayyan’s charge against Ittihad with a game-high 30 points which included 12 scored from the three-point line. On top of that, Watson converted eight of his eight free-throws and scored nine field goals off 12 attempts in his match-winning performance.
Zuza Jurica was not too far behind for Al Rayyan with 28 points, he along with Watson being the only two players who played entire game for their team.
For Al Ittihad Jamaal Wade excelled with 28 points, which included five three-pointers off 18 attempts, while Byron Simmons had 14 and Mathina al-Marwani 13.
Al Rayyan led through all quarters though they were given a scare by Al Ittihad in the third and the fourth when they produced 22 and 21 points, respectively.
In another match, Al Sadd produced a consistent display to edge Al Manama, with Leslie Chamont top-scoring for either side with 21.
Al Sadd stayed marginally ahead at the end of the second quarter but pulled away to a 65-52 lead at the end of the third which stood them in good stead as they closed out the match 76-69.
Saeed Erfan Ali scored 17 points for Al Sadd while Osaro Adako had 15 and Sulaiman Abdi 14. For Al Manama, it was Ivan Maras who top-scored with 19, wile Coleman Collins scored 17 and Mohamed Hussain 12.
The next round of the matches will be played tomorrow.
