Manama rout overmatched Sitra

TDT | Manama                                                        

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Defending champions Manama routed Sitra 114-69 last night to rise to the top of the standings at the end of the eighth week of action in the 2023–2024 Zain Bahrain Basketball League. Manama burst out of the gate and built a virtually insurmountable lead in the first quarter. They scored the contest’s first 13 points and raced out to a whopping 34-2 advantage in the opening seven-and-a-half minutes, ending the period up 42-6. It was a walk in the park the rest of the way for the victors, who powered ahead by as many as 61 points.

Manama outrebounded Sitra 59-39 in the game, dished out more assists at 33-18, forced Sitra into 27 turnovers and had 21 steals to go with eight blocks. All 11 of Manama’s players who took to the hardwood got onto the scoresheet. Ali Jaber led their balanced attack with 19 points.

Ahmed Najaf finished with 14 while Ali Hussain, Emran Hasan and Saad Abdulla Saad all scored 13 for Manama. Manama remained undefeated in seven outings and went to solo first place as they remained the only team with a pristine record in the league.

Sitra, meanwhile, were thoroughly overmatched in the contest, having played without a foreign professional. Ebrahim Murad Ebrahim scored 26 points, including four three-pointers, while Ali Eid added 10. They dropped their eighth game in as many tries and stayed as one of only two teams remaining who are still winless this season. Isa town are the other. They fell to a 70-83 defeat to Samaheej in yesterday’s other game.

Isa Town started strong and took a 21-17 lead at the end of the first, but Samaheej fought back and turned the game around for a 46-36 advantage at the half. Isa Town then came alive in the third where they more than doubled Samaheej’s output to go narrowly in front 57-56, but they lost their momentum in the last stanza where Samaheej roared back to seal the convincing 13-point win. Ahmed Fateel was Samaheej’s top man with 19 points, while Salman Alkaabi added 15 and Basel Adel scored 14.

For Isa Town, Jehad Ahmed finished with 19 while Hussain Mahdi chipped in with 15 in the loss. Both teams were without an import. With the result, Samaheej claimed only their second win in seven outings while Isa Town were handed their seventh straight loss.