BASKETBALL – Bahrain champions Manama bowed to Shabab Al Ahli of the UAE 91-104 last night in game one of their best-of-three Gulf sub-zone semi-finals in the 2024-25 Fiba West Asia Super League (WASL).
Manama fell behind early after conceding 32 points in the first quarter. They tried valiantly to fight back, but faced deficits as big as 20 points en route to their 13-point defeat at Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Sports Hall in Dubai.
The Bahrainis will now be looking to dig themselves out of the 0-1 hole when the series resumes on Monday next week with game two. That contest will be played at the Bahrain Basketball Association Arena in Um Al Hassam, and Manama will hope to extend the match-up to a winner-take-all third game, which would be back in the Emirates on March 26.
Shabab Al Ahli took a 32-24 lead after the opening period last night and extended it to 60-47 at the half. They continued their fine play in the third when they registered their largest advantage of the night, and then did enough in the final frame to stay in front and stave off any Manama rally.
The Bahrainis got no closer than eight points over the final 10 minutes.
Tony Carr had 24 points to lead Manama in the losing effort while Clint Chapman added 22. Ahmed Salman chipped in with 17, while Subah Hussain had 11 for the Bahrainis.
Deshawndre Washington had a triple double to spearhead Shabab Al Ahli. He finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Jamelle Hagins and Qais Alshabebi contributed 19 apiece.
The Gulf sub-zone’s other best-of-three semi-final is between Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia and Al Qadsia of Kuwait. Their head-to-head is scheduled to get underway tonight, with Qadsia holding home-court advantage.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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