(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Al Gharafa's comeback win in the Emir Cup final on Friday was due to the team's resolve to 'fight till the end', American star Sammy Monroe Jr. said.
On Friday, Al Gharafa beat defending champions El Jaish 92-82 in a gritty display of attacking basketball despite trailing in the first two quarters of the title clash at the Al Gharafa Indoor Hall.
Sammy produced an impressive tally of 41 points for the champions who also won the Qatar Cup earlier this month.
"I always expected us to win this game. Not one second did I feel we'd lose. We stayed focused. We stayed poised. I trusted my team-mates and my coach," Sammy said in an interview after helping his team produce an electrifying comeback win.
Sammy, 32, said the presence of his family in Doha helped him 'do it for them'.
"I feel great. My mum is in Qatar and she got to see me play here. I love winning and I do it for the family. This is my son (holding his son). It is a great feeling," Sammy said.
"My mum being present here gave me the motivation to do well and especially this guy (pointing to his son)," he added.
Michael Taylor of Al Gharafa said his team played as one unit.
"I just want to give a shout out to my team-mates. They kept believing. They stayed active (on court) and they kept the game close for me to do well. So I did what I normally do. I am just glad that I was able to help my team win," Taylor, the former LA Clippers star, said.
FIBA Asia President Sheikh Saud bin Ali Al Thani said Al Gharafa exploited the mistakes committed by El Jaish in the final.
"The game of basketball depends largely on the mistakes. A team that can exploit the mistakes of the opponent is usually the winner. Al Gharafa did exactly that during the last two quarters of the final," Sheikh Saud said.
"Clearly Al Gharafa deserve to be the champions," Sheikh Saud, the Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), added.
"In terms of offense and defense, Al Gharafa emerged as the better side as they had all the bases covered," he said.
"Overall it was a great season of basketball for the winning teams of other titles too - the Qatar Basketball League and the Qatar Cup," he said.
"One could sense that the teams with titles played better than they did last season," Sheikh Saud said. "Overall, the clubs exhibited better all-round development," he said.
"When these clubs prepare for the next season, they will be in a better position to assess and plan for trophies in 2017-18 season," he said.
"There is a group of players who have benefitted from intense games and they have a bright future, professionally and with the national team," he said.
Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Muftah, President of the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF), said: "It was a great final. It was a final that would have delighted the purists. It was one of the best games of the last three seasons."
He said: "We are confident of calling upon the players who impressed us this season. The national call-ups will be made soon. We feel we are moving in the right direction."
The QBF President said: "I congratulate Al Gharafa on a great run that ended with the Emir Cup title. Al Gharafa is one of the stronger sides in the region and they deserve this win."
He also praised the QBF staff for 'their hard labour' in putting together three major tournaments.
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