Manama power to impressive win

TDT | Manama                                                    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain champions Manama Club continued their impressive start last night to their title-defence in the 2023/2024 FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL).

The tournament’s defending champions powered to their third successive victory in the WASL Gulf sub-zone, defeating Shabab Al Ahli of Dubai 73-67 in their Group B game, played at Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Sports Hall in Dubai.

Manama rode the red-hot shooting of star Bahraini guard Mustafa Hussain to the win. Hussain finished with a game-high 29 points and made several key baskets down the stretch to help his team stave off a late Shabab charge.

Manama maintained their unbeaten record so far after three outings after adding to their previous wins against Kazma of Kuwait and Al Shamal of Qatar. They continued to occupy first place on their group standings in this preliminary round of the competition, ahead of Shabab, with Kazma and Shamal in third and fourth, respectively.

Kazma and Shamal face off tonight in Doha. Manama’s game last night wrapped up their WASL campaign for this calendar year. They return to the hardwood on 15 January in 2024 when they play in Kuwait City against Kazma.

Manama are one of two Bahraini clubs competing this WASL season. They are joined by Muharraq, who are making their debut in the regional championship. Manama trailed early on in yesterday’s affair and faced a slim 16-17 deficit at the end of the first quarter.

Both teams then matched each other point for point in the second, as a Chavaughn Lewis floater right before the half-time buzzer maintained Shabab’s one point-advantage, 35-34, at the interval. But Manama took control in the second half. Led by Hussain, who fired in six three-pointers, the Bahrainis went ahead 53-49 after the third period and rode their momentum into the final canto.

There, Hussain continued to pour it on and a triple from the right corner gave Manama their biggest lead at the time of nine, 64-55, with under five minutes remaining. Another Hussain triple later halted a Shabab run after the Emiratis cut the gap to just four. Shabab were able to get to come within three with less than a minute left, but they could not get any closer and Manama’s Tony Farmer buried a three-pointer at the buzzer to peg the final score.

Farmer added 16 points in the win, while Ahmed Salman scored 10 as their only other player in double figures. For Shabab, Nicolas Minnerath had 26 and 10 rebounds to pace his team, while Lewis chipped in with 15 in the loss.