Ahli edge Manama in thriller

TDT | Manama                                        

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Mohammed Qurban buried a go-ahead three-pointer with 29.7 seconds remaining to help lift Al Ahli to a stunning 85-82 victory over defending champions Manama last night in the 2022/2023 Zain Bahrain Basketball League.

It was a hotly contested affair with a large crowd in attendance at Zain Basketball Arena in Um Al Hassam.

Qurban’s basket was the culmination of a furious Ahli comeback in the final canto, which they entered trailing by double digits, 64-75.

But they gradually chipped away at the deficit until the late-game drama.

After Qurban’s triple, teammate Wayne Chism made an all-important block against Manama’s American professional Steve Taylor Jr, and then Maitham Jameel made one of two free-throws to peg the final score.

A heave at the buzzer by Mustafa Hussain was well off the mark, securing Ahli’s all-important triumph.

Chism led Ahli with 27 points while also grabbing a monster 19 rebounds.

Jameel chipped in with 18 points along with nine assists, while Qurban scored 14, Mohammed Kuwayed had 11 and Hesham Sarhan finished with eight.

For Manama, Mohammed Ameer was their leading scorer with 23 points, while Taylor Jr added 21.

Ahmed Aldurazi contributed 12 in the loss, while Ahmed Salman had 11 and Hasan Nowrooz 10.

With the result, Ahli improved to a 14-4 win-loss record as they narrowed the gap to table-toppers Manama, who dropped to a 15-4 mark.

In last night’s other game, Nuwaidrat cruised past Samaheej 90-67.

Nuwaidrat took a commanding 24-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back, leading by as many as 33 points the rest of the way.

Sayed Hashim Habib was their leading scorer with 24 points including six three pointers. Keanau Post added 19.

All 11 of Nuwaidrat’s players who took to the hardwood in the game made it onto the scoresheet.

Nuwaidrat improved to an 8-11 win-loss record but they stayed in the bottom-half of the standings.

Samaheej went to a 2-17 mark.

League action continues tonight with Sitra playing Al Ettihad at 5.30pm followed by Al Hala and Muharraq locking horns at 7.30pm.