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BASKETBALL – AL Najma posted a resounding, come-from-behind 104-97 victory over Al Hala last night in their eighth week contest of the 2024-25 Zain Bahrain Basketball League.
Najma battled back from up to 15 points down in the first half to take control in the third period and hold on for the all-important victory at Zain Basketball Arena in Um Al Hassam.
Veteran court general Mohammed Hussain buried a three-pointer with a minute remaining to extend the victors’ lead to 100-93 with Hala trying to mount a late comeback.
Hala got no closer than five points the rest of the way as a Tyler Wilkerson lay-up and two free-throws by Robert Lowery with 15 seconds to play iced the contest.
With the result, Najma claimed their fourth win after six tries to move to 10 points on the Premier League table – just two behind undefeated leaders and defending champions Manama and tied with perennial title contenders Muharraq. Hala, on the other hand, suffered their fifth loss in seven games and went to nine points on the standings.
League action continues today and tomorrow with two fixtures on each day.
Tonight, Isa Town take on Nuwaidrat in a League B contest at 6pm, to be followed by a mammoth Premier League clash between championship hopefuls Muharraq and Al Ahli at 8pm.
Tomorrow, Bahrain Club and Samaheej lock horns at 6pm in League B, and then Manama take on Al Ettihad at 8pm in the Premier League.
In their win last night, Najma conceded 33 points in the opening quarter and found themselves in a 14-point hole heading into the second.
A Joseph Lawson fadeaway jumper then gave Hala their biggest lead, 41-26, with seven minutes to play before the half, but then Najma came alive and roared back over the remainder of the period, outscoring Hala 25-11 to get back to within a single point, 51-52, heading into the break.
Hala briefly recovered to start the third period, and after Alex Young split his charity shots to tie it at 63-all, Najma went on an 11-5 run, capped by an Abdulla Rabeea lay-up, to take the lead for good. They headed into the final frame up 79-75.
In the fourth, Hala tried to stay within striking distance and baskets from Young twice brought them to within one, but eight unanswered points, sparked by back-to-back Lowery lay-ups, made it 94-85 and gave Najma some breathing room.
Hala put up one last stand and an Abdulqader Thani basket cut their deficit to 93-97, but that set the stage for Hussain’s crucial triple, and Najma held on from there.
Najma were spearheaded by the trio of Lowery, Wilkerson, and Hussain, who each finished with over 20 points. Lowery had 29 points, including four three-pointers, and almost registered a triple-double, having also taken down nine rebounds and dished out nine assists. Wilkerson added 25 points and 14 boards, while Hussain chipped in with 23, including five makes from beyond the arc. Jonathan Arledge chipped in with 10 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
Young paced Hala in the loss with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists, while Hussain Salman had 19 and Thani finished with 17 in the loss.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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