Rashed and Saad power Al Arabi past Al Rayyan 91-79 to clinch Qatar Basketball League title

Al Arabi captured the 2025-26 Qatar Basketball League championship on Thursday, defeating Al Rayyan 91-79 in Game 2 of the finals at Al Gharafa Sports Club to sweep the series and lift the trophy. Mustafa Rashed (177-PG-2002) was the catalyst with a game-high 26 points on sizzling 9-of-16 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three-point range and a perfect 3-of-3 from the free-throw line. The point guard added four rebounds, four assists and two blocks across 40 minutes — a complete performance on the biggest stage. Abdulrahman Saad (185-G/F-1996) was equally influential with 24 points, six assists and five steals, anchoring both ends of the floor for Hatem Mamlouk's side. Saad shot 9-of-20 from the field and was a disruptive presence defensively throughout, making life difficult for Al Rayyan's backcourt. Center Elmedin Kikanovic (211-C-1988) delivered a characteristically efficient night with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting — including a perfect 1-of-1 from deep — while also contributing on the boards and registering six assists. Abdelrahman Abdelhaleem chipped in 14 points and went 6-of-10 from the charity stripe, while Sindou Diallo (194-G-2000, college: Montana Tech) added 11 points and steady guard play. Al Arabi set the tone early, winning the opening quarter 28-18 to establish a double-digit cushion that Al Rayyan could never fully erase. The Greek-coached Al Rayyan side, led by Efstathios Nerantzakis, fought back in the second period by outscoring Al Arabi 27-18 to close within a point at the half (46-45). But Al Arabi reasserted themselves in the third quarter (18-14) and then pulled away decisively in the fourth with a 27-20 closing period to seal the championship. Al Rayyan's biggest lead of the entire game was just three points, underscoring Al Arabi's control of the contest. The losers were let down by poor perimeter shooting, converting just 9-of-32 from beyond the arc (28%) compared to Al Arabi's 12-of-31 (38%).
Rion Brown led Al Rayyan with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists in a full 40 minutes, while Malik Curry (185-G-1999, college: WVU) contributed 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting. Latvian big man Rolands Freimanis (209-PF-1988) added 15 points and a team-high five rebounds, but his 1-of-7 mark from three was emblematic of Al Rayyan's struggles from distance. Babacar Dieng (196-F-1997) provided 13 points off the bench, and Abdulla Moussa scored 11, but the supporting cast could not generate enough firepower to keep pace. Al Arabi shot 47% from the field as a team (30-of-63) and were the more efficient side in nearly every statistical category, out-assisting Al Rayyan 24-9 — a reflection of the selfless ball movement that defined their championship run. Al Arabi also held a comfortable 32-26 rebounding advantage. The title caps a superb season for Al Arabi under Tunisian coach Mamlouk and his assistants Talal and Yazan Younes, with the series sweep leaving no doubt about the best team in Qatari basketball this season.