Manama, Al Hala in cup semis

TDT | Manama                                                     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Holders Manama and Al Hala last night powered into the semi-finals of the 2023/2024 Khalifa bin Salman Cup. Reigning champions Manama booked their berth with a 105-93 victory against Al Ettihad, while Hala secured their place with a massive 123-69 rout of Bahrain Club.

The two winners now join Muharraq and Al Ahli in the tournament’s final four. Manama and Hala lock horns in one of the best-of-three series, while Muharraq and Ahli will face off in the other.

Muharraq clinched their spot last Thursday after pulling off a miraculous comeback in a 114- 105 overtime victory against Al Najma, while Ahli claimed a resounding 90-70 win over Nuwaidrat to march through. In Manama’s win, following a tight first half in which 

Ettihad held as lim51-50edge at the break, Manama turned thingsaroundwithafinethird period where they outscored their rivals by 11, 25-14, to go up75-65headingintothefinal stanza. There, they built their biggestleadof19pointsenroute to comfortably closing out the contest.

Travin Thibodeaux had 25 points and 12 rebounds to spearhead Manama, while Sir’Dominic Pointer added 22 points while dishing out 11 assists.

Cleanthony Early was Ettihad’s top scorer with a game-high 43 with 14 rebounds and eight assists, while Jordan Washington added 15 in the loss.

Commanding In Hala’s win yesterday, a huge first quarter where they built a commanding 38-13 advantage put them on their way to the lopsided result, in which they led by as many as 56 points. Sayed Hashim Habib scored 34 points off the bench to lead the victors, who also got 19

Points from Alex Young in just 16 minutes of action. Ahmed Khalifa added 13, while Abdulqader Thani and Alwatheq Ali each had 10, with Thani dishing also out 10 assists.

Mansoor Jaber had 20 to pace Bahrain Club in the loss, while Ahmed Jamal Ali chipped in with 13.

With the two upcoming semis match-ups being held in bestof-three format, the ensuing title-decider will be just a single game. Manama won last year’s Khalifa bin Salman Cup after defeating Muharraq 75-72 in the final.

The result marked the second time Manama won the prestigious trophy. Their first was in the 2017/2018 season.