Al Ettihad through to Golden Square

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Al Ettihad secured the fourth and final berth last night in the Golden Square semi-finals of the 2023/2024 Zain Bahrain Basketball League.

Ettihad punched their ticket following a thrilling 92-87 overtime victory against Al Najma at Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town.

Jeff Ayres scored the go-ahead free-throws with 14.4 seconds remaining in the extra session to help wrap up a hotly contested game, which was a see-saw affair throughout.

It was the concluding fixture of the league’s Top Six stage, and it completed the exciting line-up for the final four.

Ettihad join defending champions Manama and perennial contenders Al Ahli and Muharraq in the ensuing stage, which will feature a pair of series, each to be played in best-of-three format.

The schedule of the Golden Square has yet to be released by the Bahrain Basketball Association.

In last night’s crucial clash, Najma got off to a strong start, behind the strong play of their professionals Adrian Uter and Elijah Robinson, along with Bahraini talents Abdulrahman Ghali and Mahmood Abbas Isa.

They took a 24-18 lead at the end of the opening quarter. In the second, Najma continued their fine play and following a Mohammed Jassim three-pointer, took their first double-digit lead of the contest at 31-20.

But after a Sadeq Shukrallah triple put Najma ahead 36-24, Ettihad came alive and went on a furious 21-2 run, capped by a Demetrius Treadwell fast-break lay-up to take a 45-38 lead.

That helped Ettihad go up 47-40 at the break. To begin the third, Ettihad extended the gap even further, scoring the period’s first 11 points to power ahead 58-40.

But Najma replied immediately with a 18-1 rally of their own to cut the deficit to just one, 58-59, on a Shukrallah basket from beyond the arc.

Ettihad’s lead was cut to 58-60 heading into the final frame.

Triple

There, Najma took the lead with the first basket of the quarter—an Isa triple that made it 61-60.

Mohammed Kowayed then scored five straight points to break a 66-all dead lock with just five minutes to play, but Sayed Mohammed Hameed later tied it for Najma at 72-apiece.

Baskets from Treadwell and Isa then forged a 76-all deadlock with 31.8 seconds to play, and neither team could score from there, forcing the extra session.

In overtime, a Treadwell basket gave Ettihad an 87-84 lead, but Uter answered with a three-pointer and tied it once again with just over half-a-minute remaining.

Ayres then made his two pressure-packed freethrows with 14.4 seconds to go, and then Robinson missed a game-tying lay-up.

Treadwell iced the win with a tip-in following a Kowayed miss on his second charity shot with six seconds remaining.

Treadwell posted a game-high 28 points while also grabbing 15 rebounds and dishing out five assists.

Ayres added a monster 18-point, 18-rebound effort, while Kowayed and Ali Jassim each finished with 13.

Mohammed Buallay had 11 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Ettihad.

For Najma, Isa had 26 while Robinson finished with 19. Uter contributed 14 points and 15 rebounds in the losing effort.

With the result, Ettihad improved to a 3-2 win-loss record and tied Al Ahli and Muharraq on points, but with the points difference, they ranked fourth on the Top Six standings.

Manama finished as the top seeds heading into the Golden Square with a 4-1 win-loss record.

Najma ranked fifth to just miss out on the semi-finals, and were above only Al Hala on the table.