Superleague Round 1 of Quarter-Finals

Al-Difaa - Ghaz Al-Shamal 121-60

Al-Difaa forced 23 Ghaz Al-Shamal turnovers and outrebounded them 51-40 including 37 on the defensive glass. Al-Difaa players were unselfish on offense dishing 36 assists comparing to just 8 passes made by Ghaz Al-Shamal's players. Ismail Ismail nailed 27 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals for the winning side and international power forward Ihab Al-Zuhairi (210-1998) accounted for 16 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists. Five Al-Difaa players scored in double figures. Al-Difaa's coach Nidal Ghanim felt very confident that he used 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The former international guard Mohammed Abdulqader (183-1995) came up with 28 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and Mohammed Al-Salihi added 16 points and 7 rebounds respectively for Ghaz Al-Shamal in the defeat.
Top scorers:
Al-Difaa: I.Ismail 27+8reb+4ast, I.Al-Zuhairi 16+12reb+5ast, R.Galloway 15+4reb+6ast, T.Hammoodi 12+2reb+2ast, J.Al-Juboori 12+2reb+6ast, A.Alqarnawi 11+6reb+5ast
Ghaz Al-Shamal: M.Abdulqader 28+5reb+5ast, M.Al-Salihi 16+7reb+2ast, M.Nasradin 7+6reb, M.Akbar 4+5reb, A.Albasrawi 3+11reb+1ast, T.Hussein 2+2reb

Al Karkh - Al-Hashd 79-78

American point guard Isaiah Hammons (194-1997, college: MACU) stepped up and scored 18 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists for the winners and Hussein Almurshedi chipped in 22 points and 5 rebounds (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). At the losing side American-Palestinian guard Brian Halums (196-1997, college: UAFS) responded with a double-double by scoring 31 points and 16 rebounds and American forward Cleanthony Early (203-1991, college: Wichita St.) scored 17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Al-Hashd's coach tried various players' combinations and tested in total eleven players in this game, but that didn't help.
Top scorers:
Al Karkh: H.Almurshedi 22+5reb+2ast, I.Hammons 18+8reb+9ast, F.Bradley Jr. 18+6reb+1ast, A.Hameed 8+8reb+2ast, K.Sultan 8+9reb, R.Al-Ammari 3+2reb
Al-Hashd: B.Halums 31+16reb+2ast, C.Early 17+8reb+4ast, M.Al-Rubaye 15+6reb+1ast, A.Saeed 8+10reb+1ast, M.Hariz 3+2reb+1ast, P.Burnett 3+4reb+1ast

Dijlah - Al Hilla 83-58

Dijlah forced 22 Al Hilla turnovers. American guard Shane Gibson (188-1990, college: Sacred Heart) nailed 20 points and 8 rebounds for the winning side and his fellow American import forward Gerard Tarin (206-1996, college: Nova SE) accounted for 18 points and 9 rebounds. Tarin is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Four Dijlah players scored in double figures. American forward Daytone Jennings (206-1997, college: CSUSB, agency: SLN) came up with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds and DR Congolese-Canadian forward Eric Kibi (198-1990, college: ACU) added 13 points and 11 rebounds respectively for Al Hilla in the defeat. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games.
Top scorers:
Dijlah: S.Gibson 20+8reb+2ast, G.Tarin 18+9reb+3ast, K.Hamzah 15+3reb+2ast, A.Alibrahimi 10+5reb+1ast, A.Chidom 8+7reb+4ast, J.Al-saadi 5+5reb+1ast
Al Hilla: D.Jennings 18+11reb+2ast, E.Kibi 13+11reb+2ast, J.Crosby 11+4reb+2ast, A.Al-Musawi 5+2reb, A.Abs 4+5reb+2ast, S.Mohammed 3+3reb

Al Shurtah - Zakho 91-81

American James Justice (178-1989, college: UT Southern) nailed 28 points and 9 rebounds for the winning side and his fellow American import guard Jared Cunningham (194-1991, college: Oregon St., agency: BIG) accounted for 23 points and 8 rebounds. American guard Marcus Burwell (190-1997, college: Catawba) came up with 24 points (made all of his nine free throws !!!) and international guard Murad Zewki (191-2000) added 20 points respectively for Zakho in the defeat. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Al Shurtah: J.Justice 28+9reb+3ast, J.Cunningham 23+8reb+2ast, A.Al-Jashaami 18+5reb+1ast, M.Al-Khafaji 12+7reb, D.Al-Hchaimi 5+6reb+3ast, A.Wiggins 3
Zakho: M.Burwell 24+4reb+3ast, M.Zewki 20+4reb, I.Banks 13+7reb+2ast, M.Murad 13+7reb+1ast, M.Hussein 4+2reb, Z.Alyousif 4+1reb+4ast