Ahli capture basketball league bronze

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Al Ahli last night claimed the bronze medals for the 2021/2022 Zain Bahrain Basketball League. Ahli secured third place overall after defeating Al Hala 115- 87 in their one-off classification clash played at the Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town. The game between the league’s two losing semi-finalists was a generally one-sided affair after the second quarter.

Ahli held a slim 25-22 lead at the end of the opening period, but then outscored their rivals by 11 before the half-time break to blow the game wide open. Ahli led by as many as 31 points from there, as Hala never recovered. Court general Ahmed Aldurazi spearheaded the Ahli attack with a game-high 32 points.

He was scorching hot from the three-point line, burying eight long-range baskets from beyond the arc. Hesham Sarhan added 17 points while American professional Adrian Uter had 13 and eight rebounds in just 22 minutes of work. Versatile forward Mohammed Kuwayed chipped in with 11 including nine rebounds and five assists, while three other Ahli players contributed nine points apiece, including Maitham Jameel, Hasan Ali Alsayed and Ali Aqeel.

For Hala, Anthony McClain, last year’s Ahli import, had 21 points and 10 rebounds to pace his side in the loss. Skipper and point guard Hussain Salman was their only other player in double figures, finishing with 16. Brian Halums was held to just eight points, while Ahmed Khalifa and Abdulqader Thani had seven markers apiece.

Ahli’s biggest lead in the contest of 31 came on a Mohammed Hussain Mohammed lay-up with a minute and 57 seconds to go, which made it 113-82. Both teams had cleared their benches then as the game was all but decided.

The victors’ strong second-quarter showing helped them go up 61-47 heading into the half-time interval, and then after three they continued to lead 87-71. In the final canto, Ahli outscored their opponents by 12 to seal the end result. Ahli, who were the back-toback league champions from the last two seasons, lost in the Golden Square semi-finals in three games to Muharraq.

Hala, on the other hand, succumbed to Manama, also in three games. Muharraq currently hold a 1-0 lead in the championship series, with game two scheduled for tomorrow at the same venue. Game three, if needed, will be held on Monday. Ahli still have plenty to play for this season, as they are in the final of the Khalifa bin Salman Cup, which is scheduled to be held on April 25.