AL AHLI ARE BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONS!!! - Jun 7, 2010 AL AHLI were Monday night crowned back-to-back champions of the Zain Bahrain Basketball League. Ahli captured their record 17th title in club history following a drama-filled 82-80 victory over Manama that secured them an unexpected three-game sweep of their best-of-five finals series. Former NBA first round pick Johnny Antonio Taylor scored a game-high 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds to once again spearhead the victors. Never did we expect to sweep a great team like Manama, Taylor told the GDN. They are a top-class side, and to come out here and win against a team like says a lot about our group of guys. Bahraini guards Hussain Shaker and Jassim Mohammed also came up big for Ahli. They buried successive three-pointers with under a minute-and-a-half remaining to give the defending champions the lead for good, 80-76. Ahli, however, missed four of six free-throws in the clutch, allowing Manama to get back to within two with 14.2 seconds remaining and with possession. But Manama forwards Hassan Nairouz and Mahmood Ghuloom could not connect on their attempts before the final buzzer, and Ahli corralled the final rebound to secure the crown. Our team played with heart today, an overwhelmed Ahli head coach Aqeel Milad said. It is one thing to play good basketball, but it is another to do it with all your heart. Thats what our players did. Ahlis post-game celebrations with their fans were almost marred by some unruly Manama supporters hurling objects onto the court, despite attempts from Manama players and club officials to calm them down. Their efforts werent helped by a handful of Ahli fans who themselves began throwing objects the opposite direction in retaliation. Such was the tense atmosphere in a closely fought game, which, from the opening tip, was certain to be headed to a nail-biting finish. Bader Abdulla Malabes made a three-pointer off the glass to beat the first quarter buzzer and give Manama a narrow 25-20 lead. But Taylor had a dominant second quarter, during which he scored 11 straight points for Ahli including a triple with under 30 seconds before the break that levelled the scores at 44-apiece. Starting the second half, both teams continued to match each other basket for basket, and near the end of the third, Shaker made a three-pointer that beat the shot clock only for Manamas American professional Calvin Warner to cancel it out with his own the very next play and tie it at 61-all heading into the final canto. Ahli seized control of the game early in the fourth, going up 70-65 with a quick four-guard line-up complemented by Taylor. But Manama would not go away, forging a 74-all deadlock with under two minutes left. That paved the way, however, for the back-breaking triples of Mohammed and Shaker scored on either end of a Warner tip-in that made it 80-76 with 35.7s remaining. Ahli held on to the slim lead the rest of the way, despite their nervy foul-shooting. We really wanted this game, Shaker said. We wanted to close it out tonight and win back our championship, and thank God we were able to do it. We knew we could sweep them in this series, especially after game one. Our team really came together in this finals, and we can now enjoy being champions a second year in a row. Mohammed and Sayed Hashim each contributed 12 points in Ahlis win, while Shaker had just six, Maytham Jameel nine, and Mohammed Qurban seven. Manama, who were also aiming for a 17th title, were paced by Warners 22 markers. Ghuloom added 18, Ahmed Abdulaziz 12, Omran Abdulredha 10, and Malabes and Nairouz seven each. Both teams were later presented their respective medals and trophies by Bahrain Basketball Association (BBA) president Adel Al Asoomi in the presence of other BBA officials AL-Muharraq triumphs in Bahrain Cup 2009/2010 - Apr 30, 2010 AL-Muharraq triumphs in Bahrain Cup 2009/2010 beating Al-Manama in the decisive third game 99:95. The winners started with 21-17 lead after the opening quarter and lost however the second period 20-21. The score was tied in the third stanza at 34-34 from each team, while AL-Muharraq kept the score for good and won the Cup! The teams will continue later for the top places in the Play-offs. |
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