Duhok produced a controlled, defensively driven performance to beat Tadamon 63-47 on Saturday, pulling away in the second half of a Club Friendship fixture that was decided by stops rather than scoring bursts.

Neither team reached 20 points in a single quarter, and the 110 combined points made it the lowest-scoring game of the series so far. Duhok's discipline at both ends proved the difference: they held Tadamon to under 33 percent shooting from the field and 4-of-22 from three-point range, then methodically stretched their lead after half-time.

Match overview

Tadamon started brightly and led 8-4 in the opening minutes, but that was as good as it got. Duhok closed the first quarter with a 13-4 run and never trailed again, gradually building a double-digit advantage that Tadamon could not erode.

The third quarter proved decisive. Duhok opened the second half with a 10-2 run, pushing the lead to 14 and forcing Tadamon into a series of rushed perimeter attempts. From there, the visitors managed the game intelligently, working the clock and protecting the ball.

Key moments

• First quarter, 2:20 remaining: Duhok's 13-4 closing run flipped an early four-point deficit into a five-point lead.
• Second quarter, 0:45 remaining: A block at one end and a transition layup at the other gave Duhok a six-point cushion at the break.
• Third quarter, 6:30 remaining: Three consecutive defensive stops opened the door for a 10-2 run and the first double-digit lead of the night.
• Fourth quarter, 4:10 remaining: A corner three-pointer stretched the advantage to 17, effectively ending the contest.

Tactical story

Duhok's defensive approach was simple and effective: pack the paint, force Tadamon to shoot from the perimeter, and contest every rebound. It worked. Tadamon generated very little inside and settled for long jumpers far too often, finishing with just 18 points in the paint and a frustrating night from beyond the arc.

Offensively, Duhok were patient rather than explosive. They rarely forced shots early in the clock and instead worked the ball inside-out, generating open looks for their guards and second-chance points from the offensive glass. Their 11 offensive rebounds led to 12 points, and their turnover count — just nine for the game — was the cleanest of any team in this round of fixtures.

Tadamon's best moments came when they pushed the tempo after defensive rebounds, but those sequences were too rare. Their half-court offence stalled repeatedly against Duhok's compact zone looks, and the scoring droughts in the third and fourth quarters reflected a team lacking a reliable go-to option when the game slowed down.

Standout performers

• Rebin Ahmed (Duhok): The game's outstanding player with 17 points and 11 rebounds, dominating both ends of the floor.
• Zana Karim (Duhok): A disruptive presence on defence with 5 steals and 12 points, including two momentum-shifting transition baskets.
• Dontae Wilson (Duhok): Added 11 points and 7 rebounds off the bench, giving his team valuable production in the second quarter.
• Ahmed Al-Jubouri (Tadamon): His team's leading scorer with 14 points, most of them created individually.
• Mustafa Al-Kaabi (Tadamon): Battled inside for 10 points and 9 rebounds despite consistent double-teaming.

What the result means

Duhok's win is the most defensively complete performance of the Club Friendship series to date. Holding an opponent to 47 points is a benchmark worth noting, and the balanced scoring across the rotation suggests a team that does not depend on one player to carry the offence. For Tadamon, the priorities are clear: improve shot selection, find more reliable interior scoring, and cut down on the empty possessions that turned a competitive opening quarter into a comfortable defeat. There is enough fight in this group to suggest better results are coming, but the offensive execution will need to improve significantly.