Al-Mughaseeb crowns Al-Rayyan as Amir Cup Basketball Champion, Al-Arabi runners-up

Doha: In a celebratory environment, with a significant audience present, Mohammed bin Saad Al-Mughaseeb, the President of the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF), crowned Al-Rayyan champions for the 2024-2025 Amir Cup Basketball Championship, the 26th edition.

This achievement followed a well-earned victory in the final match against Al-Arabi, concluding with a score of 77-70. The event took place at Al-Gharafa Indoor Sports Hall on the evening of Thursday, May 22, 2025.

The game was marked by excitement and competitiveness from the beginning, with Al-Arabi initially leading in the first period (14-13), before Al-Rayyan equalized and took the lead in the second period (26-24).

In the latter half, Al-Arabi regained the advantage in the third period (20-17). However, Al-Rayyan showcased its championship spirit in the fourth period, exerting total control and decisively winning the match with a significant margin of 21-12, thus securing the final score and the championship title.

The game featured an exceptional performance from Al-Rayyan player Abdullah Yassin Musa, who stood out as the top scorer with 18 points. In contrast, Al-Arabi's duo Abdulrahman Saad and Mustafa Hussein also excelled, each contributing 17 points.

After the game, the coronation ceremony took place with the attendance of QBF President Al Mughaiseeb, QBF Secretary-General Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari; and Ali Salem Afifa, Vice President of Al Rayyan Club.

Al Rayyan Club was awarded the championship trophy along with gold medals, while the players of Al Arabi received silver medals.

This marked the conclusion of an extraordinary edition of the tournament, characterized by fierce competition and excitement right up to the final moments.

With this victory, Al Rayyan Club has now achieved a total of 10 Amir Cup titles, reinforcing their status as the most successful club since the tournament began in the 1999-2000 season, during which they secured the inaugural title against the same rival, Al Arabi.

Following the coronation ceremony, Mughaiseeb conveyed his immense joy at Al Rayyan's return to the podium after a five-year hiatus from the Amir Cup title, emphasizing that this triumph holds considerable positive significance for the sport at the local level.

Al Mughaiseeb said, "We at the Federation are very happy with Al Rayyan's return to the top of the league. This distinguished club has a long history in Qatari basketball, and its return to winning after years of absence restores balance and strong competition among the clubs." Al-Mughaseeb also praised Al-Arabi's performance, saying, "We must commend Al-Arabi's performance this season. They were a fierce competitor and won the General League title, the Qatar Cup, and, before that, the Arab Championship, which was hosted by Alexandria. This demonstrates the club's distinguished administrative and technical work."

He added, "This diversity in titles directly benefits Qatari basketball and the national team. When championships are distributed among different clubs, it signifies the development of the game and an increase in competitiveness, and this is what we always aspire to."

"I am proud of what the Qatari players have achieved during the tournament, especially the young duo of Abdullah and Hamad Yassin Musa in Al-Rayyan, who performed remarkably in the final and herald a promising future for Qatari basketball," he added.

For his part, QBF Secretary-General Al-Kuwari praised the high technical level displayed in the Amir Cup final, stressing that the game lived up to expectations in terms of performance, organization, and crowd attendance.

Al-Kuwari said, "Today's final was an example of what basketball should be like in Qatar. The performance of both teams was outstanding, the organization was civilized, and the fans were a key partner in the event's success."

He added, "We congratulate Al-Rayyan on this important achievement, which reflects the great work within the organization, whether from the management, technical staff, or players. We also congratulate Al-Arabi on an exceptional season crowned by several championships, which reflects that competition in Qatari basketball has reached a high level of equality."

Al-Kuwari concluded his statement by saying, "The Qatar Basketball Federation will continue to support clubs and develop youth programs, because we believe that investing in young players is the best way to create future champions."