Al-Qadsiya eyes the West Asia title as it faces Jeddah Union in the semifinals
The semi-final series follows a best-of-three playoff format, where the first team to win two games advances. The second leg will take place in Saudi Arabia on March 18, while a decisive third match, if needed, is scheduled for March 25.
Both teams are familiar foes, having met twice in the group stage, with Al-Qadsiya emerging victorious on both occasions (82-62 and 91-83). This gives Al-Qadsiya a psychological edge heading into the semi-finals.
American coach Anthony Stebbing aims to secure a third consecutive win against Jeddah Union, propelling Al-Qadsiya toward the Asian Gulf title. The team has shown remarkable progress in recent weeks, leading the domestic league standings, thanks to strong team chemistry, high morale, and Stebbing's tactical expertise.
Meanwhile, two matches will be played in the second division of the merged Basketball League at Union Hall:
Al-Tadamon (10 points) vs. Al-Yarmouk (11 points) – 8:45 pm
Al-Sulaibikhat (12 points) vs. Title holder Kuwait (17 points) – 11:00 pm
Al-Qadsiya fans will be hoping their team continues its dominance as the journey toward the championship intensifies.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
12 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Ilona Maher takes women's rugby onto new plane
PARIS: Ilona Maher transcends women's rugby, giving it a profile outside of the sport in the way that Mia Hamm did for women's football. Now the stage is set at the women's World Cup in England for the American to spark even more interest. The 29-year-old phenomenon has attracted over eight million followers on social media, not only through her sporting exploits but also for her promotion of body positivity. She played a pivotal role in the USA women's team winning a first ever Olympic medal, beating Australia in the third-place playoff in Paris last year. On the back of that achievement, Maher featured in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition and appeared in the US version of hit TV show 'Dancing with the Stars', finishing runner-up. The Maher-fuelled improvement of the USA team attracted the attention of American investor Michele Kang who donated $4 million to help develop the USA Women's Rugby Sevens Team over four years. In another sport, Kang owns the Lyon women's football team, the eight-time European champions. Maher's days in Paris were not just spent playing rugby but also attracting even more followers with her pithy social media posts. She compared life in the Athletes' Village to a reality TV show, in one humorous posting saying she was there 'looking for love', to which her friend replies: 'No you are here to play rugby.' In more reflective mode in Paris, she told the Bleacher Report one of her goals was trying to reassure 'girls' that playing sport did not take away their 'girliness'. 'What we're trying to show is the beauty that in sports you can be a badass on the field, you can be a beast on the field, but also be a beauty,' she said. 'It's really important for me because I want girls to see what their body is capable of. 'It's not just to be looked at, objectified, but it's strong and it's fast, and it's brilliant.' Maher, who through her body positivity push has become a brand ambassador for a deodorant and a skincare product she co-founded, revels in her global popularity and being 'America's sweetheart.' 'I love when people call me that because I feel like I'm maybe not the image you would have of a sweetheart in some sense of the word,' Maher told CNN in January this year. 'I'm honoured.' – AFP
Kuwait Times
12 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Akie Iwai joins twin sister as winner with Portland Classic
LOS ANGELES: Japan's Akie Iwai fired six birdies in a six-under par 66 to win the Portland Classic by four strokes and join twin sister Chisato as a first-time LPGA winner in their rookie season on the US tour. Iwai started the day at Edgewater Country Club with a two-stroke lead and never faltered to finish with a 24-under par total of 264. Chisato Iwai was among the golfers trying to apply pressure, charging up the leaderboard with an eight-under par 64, but it was American Gurleen Kaur who finished second after an impressive, bogey-free seven-under par 65 for 268. Former US collegiate standout Kaur, opened with three straight birdies and had four more coming in for her career-best LPGA round. Akie Iwai became the 10th first-time LPGA winner this season and the fifth Japanese player to triumph. She said she'd felt pressure to join the flood of Japanese winners, but even more she was inspired by her sister's triumph at the Riviera Maya Open in Mexico in May. '(She) really inspired me,' said world number 29 Iwai, who was runner-up this year at Thailand and the LA Championship. 'That's why I did my best this year.' Iwai got off to a steady start, with back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth and two more at 11 and 14. She got up and down for par from off the green at 16, then capped her day with another birdie brace, curling in a testing birdie putt at 17 before draining an 18-footer at 18. 'Today I was able to conquer myself,' she said. Her sister, who had been watching the final holes nervously, was the first to rush the green and start the champagne-spray celebrations. 'Just watching, so nervous,' Chisato said as Iwai was coming down the final stretch. 'I'm cheering for her.' But first she had been chasing, and hard. Chisato started the day seven adrift but after an early bogey exploded with eagles at the fifth and seventh - with a birdie at the sixth sandwiched between. She strung together four straight birdies from the ninth through the 12th and rebounded from a bogey at 15 with one last birdie at 17. She finished tied for third on 19-under 269 with Sweden's Linn Grant, who rolled in the seventh birdie of her five-under 67 at 18. Australia's Grace Kim, who captured her first major title at the Evian Championship last month, started the day two shots off the lead and carded a two-under 70 that left her in sole possession of fifth place on 270. — AFP
Arab Times
16 hours ago
- Arab Times
Al-Shatti praises Salmiya players after strong start to preseason camp
ISTANBUL, Aug 18: Kuwait's clubs are stepping up preparations for the new season with training camps abroad, highlighted by Qadisiya's ongoing schedule in Turkey, Salmiya's strong start in Cyprus, and Arabi's recent arrival in Dubai. Qadisya will face Saudi side Al-Wehda this evening in its fourth friendly match of the camp. The team previously drew 2-2 with Al-Faisaly, lost narrowly 1-0 to Al-Okhdood, and bounced back with a 2-0 win over Fujairah of the UAE. The team will next meet Bahrain's Sitra on Saturday, a side it is also set to face in the group stage of the Gulf Champions League beginning September 30, before closing out the camp against Al-Orouba of Saudi Arabia on August 28. The camp was hit by sad news as Algerian defender Sofiane Bouchar departed to return home following the death of his mother. Meanwhile, Salmiya got off to a winning start in Turkey, defeating Cyprus' Magusa Turk Gucu 4-1 in its opening friendly. Goals came from Brazilian Alex Lima, Libyan forward Sanousi Al-Hadi, and Fawaz Ayed, who scored twice. Head coach Nasser Al-Shatti praised his players for their discipline and commitment in training, stressing that their focus has allowed the preparation program to run smoothly. He expressed satisfaction with the team's display in the first friendly, noting that the players executed the tactics well and benefited from the test. Salmiya is set to play two more friendlies against Turkey's Serik Spor (August 21) and Antalyaspor (August 27). In Dubai, Al-Arabi launched its training camp yesterday as it prepares for the new season. The team will remain in the UAE until August 29 and is scheduled to play two friendlies before returning to Kuwait in early September. Al-Arabi will open its Zain Premier League campaign against Al-Shabab on September 12.
