Doha – January 8, 2026:
The 13th round of the second division in the general basketball league for the 2025-2026 sports season featured intense matches filled with excitement and competitiveness. The standout result was Al Gharafa’s hard-fought victory over Qatar Club, alongside a crucial win for defending champions Al Arabi that strengthened their position at the top of the standings.
At Al Gharafa Hall, the home team managed to overcome Qatar Club in a high-paced match full of technical twists and turns, ending 103-99 in their favor. The game confirmed that both teams possessed the tools to compete until the final seconds.
Al Gharafa entered the game with high focus, relying on good spacing and quick transitions, which gave them the edge in the first quarter (ending 24-20). They continued their dominance in the second quarter thanks to defensive discipline and offensive efficiency, extending the lead to 33-23 and finishing the first half with a comfortable margin.
However, Qatar Club came back strongly in the second half, increasing their defensive pressure and winning the third quarter 33-24 to restore balance and turn the tide of the match. They maintained a slight advantage in the fourth quarter (23-22), but Al Gharafa’s experience and effective management of the crucial minutes prevented a full comeback, allowing the “Leopards” to secure a valuable victory in one of the round’s most thrilling encounters.
On an individual level, Joshua Karun Lee Hall continued his strong performances for Al Gharafa, topping the scorers with 33 points and confirming his pivotal role in the team’s offensive system. For Qatar Club, Dejan Janić stood out with 32 points, serving as the main driver of his team’s attacks until the final whistle.
Al Gharafa’s Nedim Muslić was named the best Qatari player of the match, receiving the award sponsored by Mosafer Company worth $100, in recognition of his balanced contribution in both defense and attack and his clear impact in decisive moments.
With this win, Al Gharafa raised their points tally to 17, moving to sixth place, while Qatar Club reached 15 points, placing them eighth, in a heated battle to improve positions as the decisive rounds approach.
In another equally important matchup, defending champions Al Arabi proved their worthiness for the title race by defeating Al Ahli 81-66, imposing their style from the very start.
Al Arabi had a strong opening, delivering an impressive performance in the first quarter, which they won 33-12, putting Al Ahli under early pressure.
In the second quarter, Al Ahli improved and managed to keep pace with Al Arabi, who narrowly won the period 16-15. At the start of the second half, Al Ahli mounted a strong comeback, winning the third quarter 22-19 and continuing their shine in the fourth (17-13). However, the large lead Al Arabi built early in the game was enough to secure the result.
Bahraini player Mustafa Hussain shone for Al Arabi, scoring 25 points to become the game’s top scorer. For Al Ahli, Nigel Armoni Johnson was the standout, scoring 21 points and delivering a strong individual performance that reflected his technical value and experience in leading the offense, despite the loss.
The match also saw Al Arabi’s Abdulrahman Abdulhaleem crowned the best Qatari player, receiving the Mosafer Company-sponsored award worth $100 for his influential contribution and tactical commitment.
With this result, Al Arabi took sole possession of the league table lead with 24 points from 13 matches, one point ahead of second-placed Al Rayyan (23 points). Al Ahli remained in third with 21 points, one point ahead of fourth-placed Al Sadd, who have a game in hand.