24th FIBA Asia Champions Cup tipped off: Al Rayyan, ASU win on opening day

The 24th FIBA Asia Champions Cup has tipped off at Amman, Jordan with Al Rayyan of Qatar and ASU of Jordan winning their respective matches of the opening day of the championship.

Al Rayyan of Qatar defeated Kazakhstan’s BC Kapshagay 81 – 67 in the group B encounter at Prince Hamza Stadium at Amman, Jordan.

BC Kapshagay took the first quarter 18 – 11 while Al Rayyan bounced back in the second quarter to go to the halftime break with 31 – 30 lead. At the end of the third quarter, Al Rayyan were leading by 58 – 48 while Al Rayyan also took the last quarter 23 – 19 to win the match by a comfortable 81 – 67 points. Veteran Yasseen Ismail and naturalized Qatari Boney Watson scored 15 points each for Al Rayyan while Yuriy Kozhanov was top scorer for BC Kapshagay with 13 points.

In another match of the opening day of the championship, ASU of Jordan thrashed Al Hala of Bahrain, 113 – 81. ASU took the first quarter lead of 32 – 19 and continued their dominance in the second quarter and they were up by 55 – 41 at the halftime break. After the break, ASU took the third and last quarter 32 – 19 and 26 – 21 to thrash Al Hala in the Group A encounter.

India’s ONGC, Duhok of Iran, Al Rayyan of Qatar and Kazakhstan’s BC Kapshagay are in Group B while Group A consists of Al Hala (BRN), ASU (JOR), Foolad Mahan (IRI) and Al Jaish (SYR).

The FIBA Asia Champions Cup, previously known as the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Champions Cup until 2002, is Asia’s premier club level basketball competition, involving the champion clubs of Asian countries. It is organized by FIBA Asia and takes place once a year. A total of 10 professional basketball clubs qualify every year from the sub-zones of FIBA Asia. After Khas Bronchos (MGL) and San Miguel Beermen (PHI) pulled out of this year’s championship, only 8 clubs are participating the 24th edition of the Asia’a premier club level basketball competition.