Ettihad take down champions Manama

TDT | Manama                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Al Ettihad stunned defending champions Manama 100-91 last night on the first night of action in week 15 of the 2022/2023 Zain Bahrain Basketball League.

Ettihad raced out to a 10-0 lead to begin the game but Manama were eventually able to find their groove.

Ettihad managed to stay control and took a 55-47 lead at the half, which they extended to a 22-point advantage, 75-53, on a Sayed Kadhem Majed basket with just over four minutes left in the third.

But Manama closed out the period with a resounding 15-0 run to get back into the fight heading into the final canto.

Manama continued to chip away at the deficit and got back to within four on multiple occasions, but Ettihad were able to answer each time and hold on until the final buzzer.

American professional Adrian Uter had a monster game of 35 points and 19 rebounds to spearhead Ettihad in the win.

Majed added 29 including an impressive six three-pointers, while Ali Ghadeer and Sayed Mohammed Hameed had 11 each.

Mustafa Hussain paced Manama with 17 points while Lamonte Ulmer had 16 and Hasan Nowrooz and Ahmed Najaf 15 each in defeat.

Ettihad claimed their ninth win in 13 games with last night’s result while handing Manama only their second loss of the season.

Manama still have a leaguebest 12 victories as they sit atop the standings, while Ettihad improved to third on the table. Meanwhile, in yesterday’s other game, Nuwaidrat thrashed Sitra 99-57.

Nuwaidrat held a commanding 41-20 lead at the half but then stretched their advantage even further in the third where they outscored Sitra 30-6 to head into the final canto up 71-26.

There, they cruised to the finish line and went ahead by as many as 45 points in the process.

Sayed Hashim Habib scored 21 to lead six Nuwaidrat players in double figures.

Mohayad Ameer added 18, Hassan Abbas finished with 13 while Canadian Keanau Post and Mohamed Salman Ali each contributed 12.

For Sitra, Malik Winelglass scored 21 while Dhaif Husain added 14 in the loss.

Nuwaidrat improved to a 6-8-win-loss record while Sitra dropped to a 3-10 mark.

League action continues tonight with Bahrain Club facing Isa Town at 5.30pm followed by Al Najma taking on Samaheej.

Then, tomorrow, a titanic clash between Al Ahli and Muharraq is on schedule for a 6pm tip-off.