Muharraq edge past Al Ahli

TDT | Manama                                                     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Muharraq made a winning start to the Top Six round last night in the 2023/2024 Zain Bahrain Basketball League after defeating Al Ahli 92-88 at Zain Basketball Arena in Um Al Hassam.

Free-throws from Bader Abdulla Malabes and Tyler Wilkerson, on either end of a Maitham Jameel three-pointer, helped the victors secure the come-frombehind result.

Muharraq fought back from as many as 11 points down late in the third quarter.

They came alive in the final period, sparked by a game-changing 8-0 run, to outscore Ahli by 13, 29-16.

Wilkerson poured in a gamehigh 37 points, including five triples, while taking down nine rebounds to spearhead the winners, while Malabes and Ra’shad James each finished with 17.

Mohammed Juma’a contributed 13 off the bench.

Muharraq eked into this stage as the fifth seeds on the final day of the regular season, while Ahli finished as third seeds. Also in the Top Six are defending league champions and top seeds Manama, second seeds Al Ettihad, fourth seeds Al Hala and sixth seeds Al Najma.

Muharraq were the early aggressors and they took a slim 25- 22 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

Both teams continued to trade jabs as the game remained close in the second. A James three-pointer then gave Muharraq a 41-34 advantage, but Ahli cut the deficit before half-time and an Ahmed Alderazi triple on their final possession prior to the break made it 45-48.

Control After the restart, Ahli took control with a 14-2 run, capped by a Jameel jump shot that put them ahead 63-54. After a Malabes basket for Muharraq, Jameel was again on target, this time from beyond the arc to make it 72-63 at the end of the third.

In the final stanza, Ahli stayed in front early on but an 8-0 run, capped by a Juma’a three-pointer, gave Muharraq an 82-81 lead with under four minutes to play.

Baskets from Malabes and Wilkerson then gave them an 86-83 edge, and then a Juma’a fastbreak stretched their lead to five with 57.6 seconds remaining.

Ahli were able to get back to within three on a pair of Adrian Uter free-throws, but Malabes sank a pair from the charity stripe that made it 90- 85 with 13.9 seconds on the clock.

Ahli did not give up and Jameel buried a triple to make it 88-90 with 9.7 seconds remaining, but Wilkerson pegged the final score from the free-throw line on their concluding possession.

Uter was Ahli’s top scorer with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Jameel and Unique McLean chipped in with 17 each.

Hesham Sarhan added 16 in the losing effort. Action in the Top Six continues tonight and tomorrow.

This evening, Manama face off with Najma in both teams’ first game of this stage.

Tomorrow, Hala and Ettihad lock horns in their Top Six opener. Both fixtures are scheduled for 7.30pm tip-offs at Zain Basketball Arena in Um Al Hassam.