Defending champions Al Ahli crashed to their first defeat of the season after Riffa snatched a 91-85 overtime win in an eighth week game of the Zain Bahrain Basketball League at the Zain Arena in Um Al Hassam last night.
Dexter Pittman top scored for the winners with 29 points, 21 rebounds and three assists. He was supported by Hassan Abbas with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Nasser Almosawi with 14 points.
Al Ahli’s scoring was led by Ahmed Aldurazi with 20 points. Robert Upshaw scored 19 points, including 12 rebounds and two assists, and Mohammed Qurban contributed 18 points for Al Ahli.
Despite last night’s loss, Al Ahli remain in the second position with 13 points behind leaders Muharraq while Riffa, after their fourth win of the season, rose to the fourth spot with 12 points.
Earlier in the evening, Al Ettihad claimed their second victory of the season defeating Nuwaidrat 107-89.
Ettihad, who had sealed their first victory of the season against Isa Town (114-106) in a sixth week game, stayed ahead of Nuwaidrat during most part of yesterday’s encounter.
Consecutive
Marcel Jones was their top scorer with 34 points including six three-pointers. He also accounted for 19 rebounds and three assists.
Hassan Albossta and Hassan Fahad scored 14 points each while Ahmed Ghanim chipped in with 13.
Nuwaidrat, coming off three consecutive wins including an 87-80 victory over Riffa during the sixth week, suffered their fourth defeat of the season yesterday.
A J John was the top scorer for Nuwaidrat with 34 points including six three-pointers. He also paced his team with 16 rebounds and three assists.
After yesterday’s victory, Ettihad surged from the bottom of the table to the ninth position with nine points from seven games.
Nuwaidrat remained third with 12 points from eight games.
Table toppers Muharraq, meanwhile, have 15 points from eight games.
The eighth week games conclude today with two encounters. In the first game, Sitra, who have claimed two victories so far from seven matches, take on Manama, who have won all the four games they have played so far. The game starts at 5.30pm.
In the second game, Al Najma, who occupy the seventh spot with four wins from six games, clash with Bahrain Club, who have claimed just one victory so far, at 7.45pm.
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