Manama hold off Al Hala to extend Golden Square clash

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Manama held off Al Hala 103-93 last night to tie their best-of-three Golden Square semi-finals series at 1-1 and send it to a decisive third game in the 2021/2022 Zain Bahrain Basketball League. Manama were the aggressors from the opening quarter and appeared to be headed to a comfortable win, leading by as many as 28 points in the second half.

But Hala made things interesting late in the final quarter, getting back to within five markers midway through but coming no closer. Manama court general Ahmed Salman made a corner three-pointer with a minute remaining to put Manama back ahead by double digits and virtually ice the game.

With the result, Manama were able to avenge their narrow loss in game one and force a winnertake-all rubber match, scheduled for Friday. The game will be held at the Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town, and it will be the second game three on successive nights in the league’s Golden Square this season.

The other semi-final series between defending back-to-back champions Al Ahli and Muharraq is also headed towards a decisive third game following Muharraq’s thrilling victory on Monday night that allowed them to live to fight another day.

The winners of both series will meet in the championship round, which has yet to be scheduled by the Bahrain Basketball Association. American professional Devin Ebanks spearheaded Manama with 37 points. Salman added 18 while Hassan Nowrooz had 17. Davion Barry scored 11 before fouling out.

For Hala, Brian Halums had another fine effort with 39 points, while fellow-American Anthony McClain added 20 points and 13 rebounds. Nader Ali came off the bench to contribute 19 as their only other player in double figures. Manama took a quick 28-17 lead at the end of the first quarter last night, and stretched their advantage to as many as 20 points, 58-38, late in the second following an Ebanks three-pointer.

But Halums was able to score with a jump shot right before the half-time buzzer to bring his team to within 18. In the last two periods, Manama built a lead of 28 points in the third following a Nowrooz triple. But Hala did not go down without a fight.

They battled all the way back from 60-78 down entering the fourth quarter to get to within 10, 74-84, with just over six minutes to go. Halums then brought Hala to within nine twice in the next minute, before a pair of charity shots from Sayed Kadhem Majed cut their deficit even further, 80-87.

Manama did well to stay in front, but Hala would not go away and a pair of Halums freethrows made it 85-91. A Halums triple then brought them to within five after an Ahmed Salman lay-up on the other end, but Manama’s Mohammed Hussain replied with a jumper and a Nowrooz steal led to an emphatic two-handed slam dunk by Ameer on the fast break for a 97-88 lead.

That set the stage for Salman’s back-breaking three-pointer with a minute to go that put Manama ahead by double digits once more and all but seal the contest.