Qatar Basketball Federation assistant secretary general Mohamed Ali Subaei (fourth from right), Al Sadd coach Zoran Krokovic (third from left), Al Sadd player Abulrehman Ali Saad (second from left), El Jaish coach Dragoslav Milovanovic (third from right) and El Jaish player Fadi Hani Abilmona at a press conference on the eve of the Emir Cup final yesterday. PICTURE: Othman al-Samaraee
By Yash Mudgal/Doha
The way El Jaish overcame the odds to beat eight-time champions Al Rayyan 2-0 in the best-of-three semi-finals last week is the template for success in today’s Emir Cup final against former champions Al Sadd, coach Dragoslav Milovanovic said yesterday.
Milovanovic, who guided Jaish to their only league title in the 2007-08 season, sounded confident.
“The last domestic title we won was the Qatar Cup way back in 2010. I feel we’ve got a good chance to end the long wait.
“After winning the semi-final comfortably, my players had a bit more rest than our competitors and we’ll try to make it count,” said the Serbian, while talking at a press conference on the eve of the final.
Last year’s runners-up Jaish steamrollered Rayyan 104-80 in the first game of the competition and edged past the reigning Qatar League champions 80-71 in the second match.
“I think the final match is a matter of mental toughness. We have a long season behind us and physically all the players are very tired but the Emir Cup is the most important domestic competition at the end of the season and we are keen to give it our best,” Milovanovic said.
“The team who will show more resilience and win the crucial moments of the tough encounter will emerge the winners,” he added.
Jaish has played well in the last couple of seasons but have failed to win any major titles.
“We have played very good in the regular season but unfortunately never won the final. Last year also we were in the final, but failed to emerge as champions. I hope we will be able to change the trend this time,” Jaish star Fadi Hani Abilmona said.
“Sadd is an experienced team as they have four national team players. It will be a tough final for both the teams,” he said.
Al Sadd coach Zoran Krokovic, whose side defeated defending champions Al Gharafa in the semi-finals 2-1, is eyeing the trophy they had won in 2012.
“We have a tough semi-final against the champions Gharafa, but a come-from-behind victory has increased the confidence level of the boys. Jaish is a very competitive side and this is the second Emir Cup final in a row for them. I think it will be another tough contest tomorrow, and I feel it will boil down to winning the important moments in the game,” he said.
Sadd won the tournament in 2003-04 and 2011-12, while losing the 2006-07 and 2012-13 finals against Al Rayyan.
Sadd had some embarrassing moments in the Qatar Cup when Al Arabi beat them and qualified for the semi-finals.
“This is the final of very prestigious event. We want to play basketball that won us two crowns in four finals. We are up against an in-form Jaish, but we will try our best to win the Cup,” Sadd’s Abulrehman Ali Saad said.
The final will be played at Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena and will start at 6pm.
