Kuwait and Qadsia face Kazma and Al-Qurain in 'Golden Basketball'

The semifinals of the 2025-2026 Kuwait Basketball League’s Final Four are set to begin today, after the competition was suspended since February due to regional security concerns. In the first semifinal, Kuwait will face Kazma at 5:15 p.m., while Al-Qadsia will take on Al-Qurain at 7:30 p.m. Both matches will be held at the Union Hall within the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex.

The Final Four will be contested in a best-of-three playoff format, with the winner of two matches advancing to the championship final, which will also follow the same best-of-three format. The two losing teams will also play each other in a best-of-three series to determine third and fourth place.

The competition among the four teams is expected to be intense. Al-Qadsia and Al-Qurain are closely matched in terms of form, whereas Kuwait (the “Whites”) hold a clear advantage over Al-Qadsia (the “Oranges”) thanks to their roster of experienced and seasoned players. Kuwait, the favorite to retain their title, enters the playoffs in peak condition after competing in the West Asian Basketball Championship finals. They reached the semifinals before losing to Lebanon’s Al-Hekma, and subsequently fell to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli, finishing fourth in the tournament. Although Kuwait aimed for the final, fourth place is considered a solid result given the strength of the participating teams.

Kuwait is coached by Serbian coach Dusan, who relies on a strong group of players, including Americans Shino Onuaku, Christian Brown, and Day Day Grant, alongside local talents brothers Hamad and Mohammed Adnan, Alexander Al-Ghaiss, and Turki Hamoud.

Meanwhile, Al-Qadsia prepared internally through several friendly matches against local clubs and signed American players Devin Ebanix and Amir Hinton, joining their local core led by Ahmed Al-Balushi, along with young talents Khalifa Al-Omani, Youssef Al-Balushi, and Hamad Al-Ali.

In the matchup between Al-Qurain and Al-Qadsia, Al-Qurain appears better prepared under the guidance of their national coach, Yahya Kalib. Al-Qurain participated in the Al-Ahli Club International Friendly Tournament in the UAE, where they played strong matches that fully prepared them for the Final Four. Their key players include Americans Elijah Robinson and Glenn Cosey, alongside Abdul Latif Ghanem, Abdullah Al-Shamari, and Mohammed Ashkanani.

On the other hand, Al-Qadsia, perennial title contenders, seem the least prepared among the four teams. They recently finalized the signing of new Turkish coach Murat Dikmen, whom they had initially contracted in June, and also brought in fellow Turk Ahmed Kandemir, who assumed responsibilities just a few days ago. Al-Qadsia’s squad features Senegalese professional Babou Boubacar Sar, Americans Alfonso Wells and Wesley Alcegaire, and top local players Abdulaziz Al-Humaidi and Abdulmohsen Al-Mousawi.