Ahli win overtime thriller against Muharraq

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Champions Al Ahli showed why they are the team to beat in the 2021/2022 Zain Bahrain Basketball League following a come-from-behind 94-91 overtime victory over Muharraq last night in their Top Six division clash at the Khalifa Sports City arena in Isa Town.

Ahli were down by three late in regulation but Maitham Jameel was able to tie the game with 10.4 seconds remaining with a long three-pointer to force the extra session. Then, with 48 seconds left in overtime, Jameel buried two pressure-packed free-throws to give Ahli the lead for good, 92-91.

Hesham Sarhan then made another pair of charities with seven seconds to go to extend their lead to three, which was eventually the final winning margin. Muharraq’s American import Dewayne Jackson had a chance to tie the game with a desperation triple that came up short.

It was a see-saw affair between the two rivals. Muarraq led 26-21 at the end of the first quarter but Ahli managed to charge ahead 43-38 at the half. Ahli then went up by as many as 12 points in the third quarter, 52-40, with a Jameel three, but Muharraq were able to reduce the deficit to 62-63 heading into the final canto.

Things remained close in the fourth, and the game was tied at 81-apiece after Ahli’s Mohwammed Kuwayed scored on a lay-up. But then Muharraq’s Serbian-Montenegrin import Boris Savovic scored from beyond the arc to make it 84-81, which set the stage for Jameel’s late-game heroics.

Adrian Uter had 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead Ahli in the win, which was their third in as many games. Hesham Sarhan added 18 and Kuwayed 16, both off the bench, while Jameel finished with 11. Muharraq, who were playing their first game of the Top Six, were paced by Jackson, who had 27 points. Savovic added 23 markers with 16 rebounds.