BASKETBALL – DEFENDING champions Manama drew first blood against Al Ahli last night in the best-of-five championship battle of the 2023-24 Zain Bahrain Basketball League.
Manama took the series opener 89-78 at Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town to continue their recent dominance of their long-time nemeses.
American forward Sir’Dominic Pointer buried back-to-back three-pointers in the final minute-and-a-half to help put the game away after Ahli dug themselves out of a 14-point hole. Fellow-import Travin Thibodeaux led the way for the victors in the contest, finishing with a game-high 36 points.
Manama were in the driver’s seat for virtually the entire night, although Ahli made them sweat late in the second half to pull off the result.
Manama will be looking to take a stranglehold on the finals when the two sides lock horns once again tomorrow in game two, but Ahli will be hoping to finally crack the Manama puzzle and even the proceedings. Fixtures in this title bout are scheduled for every other day. Game three will take place on Friday, while games four and five, if necessary, will be on Sunday and Tuesday next week, respectively.
Manama powered ahead to their biggest lead yesterday in the third period and enjoyed a 64-52 cushion heading into the final frame, but Ahli showed their resilience and rallied to stay in the running until the final two minutes.
After Ahmed Alderazi buried a triple to bring Ahli to within 76-80, Pointer fired in his decisive baskets from beyond the arc to make it 87-76 and virtually seal the contest with less than a minute remaining.
Thibodeaux grabbed 13 rebounds to go with his impressive scoring output, while Pointer chipped in with 19 markers and seven boards. Mohammed Ameer and Ali Hussain also finished in double figures, scoring 11 points apiece for Manama.
Arnett Moultrie was Ahli’s top performer with 24 points, while James Ennis III had 19 to go with 11 rebounds and six assists. Alderazi had 14, while Maitham Jameel contributed 12.
After a Jameel three-pointer put Ahli ahead 9-8 early in the first quarter, Manama went on an 11-0 run to go up by double digits for the first time. Their stifling defence helped maintain their advantage, although a Moultrie triple cut Ahli’s deficit to 17-25 at the end of the period.
Long-range baskets from both Hussain and Thibodeaux to start the second gave Manama a 31-17 cushion, but Ahli stayed within striking distance and an Alderazi three-pointer made it 35-40 before Manama took a 44-37 lead into the break.
In the third, Manama built their biggest lead of the night of 14, but an Ennis III three sparked a 12-2 run to bring Ahli back to within 52-56. Manama replied with eight unanswered points which put them in front 64-52 with just the final quarter to play.
There, Ahli fought back valiantly and erased Manama’s sizeable advantage. Alderzi then swished in a three-pointer to make it 76-80 with just under two minutes left, but that set the stage for a Thibodeaux free-throw and Pointer’s end-game heroics.
Manama, coached by Cypriot-Greek Linos Gavriel, are aiming for a record 25th championship in league history and third in a row. Ahli, on the other hand, are gunning for their 20th crown, guided by Argentinian tactician Nestor Rafael Garcia. In their quest for an unprecedented league “three-peat”, Manama are also hoping to complete a league-and-cup domestic double for the second successive season.
Last night’s game was played just three days after Manama beat Ahli to lift this year’s Khalifa bin Salman Cup. Manama have now won all four of their meetings against Ahli so far in this 2023-24 campaign.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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