Texas A&M University at Qatar solidified its position as a contender in the Qatar Universities Basketball League by defeating Qatar University 42-32 on Nov. 7.
The game was a rematch of the semi-finals from last year’s tournament, which ended in QU shattering TAMU-Q’s expectations in a tightly contested match.
This time around, Texas players had the last laugh as the Aggies walked away with a victory.
In a low-scoring thriller, both teams played to their full defensive abilities, with the match ending with a total of 17 steals and five blocks.
QU registered nine of the steals and all five blocks. QU’s power forward Mohammad Bashir Al-Mahdi led both teams in blocks with three.
While QU had the better defense, rebounds were decisive against them, with the Aggies collecting 35 boards compared with QU’s 24.
Shooting guard Charles Guilles from QU put on a show on both ends of the floor, scoring 20 points with five rebounds on top of five steals and a block on the defensive end. The team’s second top-scorer was Mohammed El-Mekki, with five points and three rebounds.
TAMU-Q, on the other hand, boasted three players scoring in double digits. Small Forward, Jassim Ali Al-Malki registered a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Shooting guard Jad Abilmona also scored 12 points. Al-Malki was announced as the player of the match.
TAMU-Q captain and center Omer Adil Mohamed Omer finished the game with 11 points. Point guard Fayez Al-Fakih was the defensive anchor, leading the Aggies with four steals.
Even the role players stepped up for TAMU-Q, with Khalifa Al-Baker putting up a great performance off the bench with seven rebounds that helped the Aggies take the victory.
In an earlier league game played Tuesday, Georgetown University in Qatar defeated Global Studies Institute 68-64.
Since the tournament began, QU was considered the biggest threat to the University of Doha for Science and Technology defending its title. But after defeating QU on Tuesday, the Aggies altered the landscape of the league.
The final-day showdown between UDST and QU, which was expected to be the title decider, now rests on the game between UDST and TAMU-Q on Jan. 7.
While QU’s winning momentum and title chances took a serious blow after the loss to TAMU-Q, all hope is not lost. If the Aggies don’t beat UDST, QU can still clinch the title on the last day. If such a situation were to play out, the championship would be decided on point difference.