SBL Round 4 (Regular Season): Al Safa record their first victory

Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

Al Safa has registered their first victory this season after three consecutive losses. They used home court advantage to defeat Al Salam (1-3) 67-66 on Friday. Strangely Al Salam outrebounded Al Safa 50-38 including 37 on the defensive glass. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Dallas Morgan (185, college: CMU) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 23 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists and Rayan Alahmed who added 16 points during the contest. At the losing side American-Bahrain Wayne Chism (206-1987, college: Tennessee) responded with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 19 rebounds. Al Salam's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. It was the only win of host team this round and in all other games visitors recorded victories. Al Safa left bottom position moving up to seventh place, which they share with Al Khaleej and Al Salam. Al Safa is looking forward to face higher ranked Al Nassr (#3) in Riyadh in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Al Salam will play on the road against Ittihad (#4) in Jeddah and is hoping to win this game.
SBL top team - Al Ahli (4-0) had no problems winning another game. This time they crushed tenth ranked Al Taawoun (0-4) 92-64. The winners were led by American forward Deandre Liggins (198-1988, college: Kentucky) who scored that evening 20 points and 7 rebounds and Marzouq Almuwallad supported him with 19 points and 5 assists. Al Ahli's coach Ali Alsanhani felt very confident that he used 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Even 14 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists by American guard Jordan Barham (194-1994, college: Davidson) did not help to save the game for Al Taawoun. Al Ahli have a solid four-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 4-0 record, which they share with 3 other teams. Al Taawoun at the other side still closes the standings with four games lost. They share the position with Ohod and Deba. Al Ahli will play against Al Fateh (#5) in Al Hasa in the next round. Al Taawoun will play at home against Al Wehda (#6) and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Top-ranked Ittihad blasted bottom-ranked Deba (0-4) in Tabuk 91-67 on Friday evening keeping the perfect record after 4 rounds. Deba is still unable to win any game. James Edwards Jr. fired 25 points for the winners. Ittihad's coach Mohamed Kardani felt very confident that he used entire bench and allowed the starting five to rest. Josh Nicholas produced 38 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds for lost side. Ittihad have a solid four-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with 3 other teams. Loser Deba still closes the standings with four games lost. They share the position with Ohod and Al Taawoun. Ittihad will meet at home Al Salam (#9) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Deba will play against Ohod and looks forward to get finally their first victory.

There were no shocking results in the other games in round 4: Al Fateh won against Al Khaleej on the opponent's court 83-76. Al Wehda lost to undefeated Al Nassr in a home game 70-76. Al Hilal managed to beat Ohod on the road 81-71.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 26 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals by Antwan Scott of Al Hilal.



Al Taawoun - Al Ahli 64-92

SBL top team - Al Ahli (4-0) had no problems winning another game. This time they crushed tenth ranked Al Taawoun (0-4) 92-64. Al Ahli dominated down low during the game scoring 58 of its points in the paint compared to Al Taawoun's 30. The winners were led by American forward Deandre Liggins (198-1988, college: Kentucky) who scored that evening 20 points and 7 rebounds and the former international point guard Marzouq Almuwallad (180-1992) supported him with 19 points and 5 assists. Five Al Ahli players scored in double figures. Al Ahli's coach Ali Alsanhani felt very confident that he used 11 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Even 14 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists by American guard Jordan Barham (194-1994, college: Davidson) did not help to save the game for Al Taawoun. His fellow American import power forward Devin Gilmore (200-1997, college: Murray St.) added 15 points for lost side. Al Ahli have a solid four-game winning streak. Defending champion maintains first position with 4-0 record, which they share with 3 other teams. Al Taawoun at the other side still closes the standings with four games lost. They share the position with Ohod and Deba. Al Ahli will play against Al Fateh (#5) in Al Hasa in the next round. Al Taawoun will play at home against Al Wehda (#6) and hopes to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Al Taawoun: D.Gilmore 15+1reb+2ast, J.Barham 14+7reb+4ast, B.Murad 11+2reb+3ast, A.Alwaleed 9+2reb+2ast, A.Abdullah 8+1reb+2ast, M.Loncar 7+3reb+1ast
Al Ahli: D.Ebanks 20+1reb+4ast, D.Liggins 20+7reb+3ast, M.Almuwallad 19+2reb+5ast, K.Kadji 14+2reb+1ast, K.Mohammed 11, K.Mohammed 4+1reb+3ast

Deba - Ittihad 67-91

Top-ranked Ittihad blasted bottom-ranked Deba (0-4) in Tabuk 91-67 on Friday evening keeping the perfect record after 4 rounds. Deba is still unable to win any game. American center James Edwards Jr. (211-1997, college: Southern) fired 25 points for the winners. The other American import guard Kevin Murphy (197-1990, college: Tenn Tech) chipped in 21 points. Ittihad's coach Mohamed Kardani felt very confident that he used entire bench and allowed the starting five to rest. American-Jamaican guard Josh Nicholas (190-1998, college: ULM) produced 38 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds and American-Belizean power forward Jamell Harris (208-1991, college: EMU) added 11 points and 15 rebounds respectively for lost side. Ittihad have a solid four-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with 3 other teams. Loser Deba still closes the standings with four games lost. They share the position with Ohod and Al Taawoun. Ittihad will meet at home Al Salam (#9) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Deba will play against Ohod and looks forward to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Deba: J.Nicholas 38+6reb+2ast, J.Harris 11+15reb+3ast, I.Suhail 9+5reb+2ast, H.Fahd 4+2reb, A.Ghareeb 2+1reb, A.Eyad 2+6reb
Ittihad: J.Edwards Jr. 25+3reb+1ast, K.Murphy 21+4reb+3ast, L.Williams 11+14reb, A.Yasir 10, I.Mustafa 7+1reb+1ast, F.Abdulrahman 7+4reb

Al Khaleej - Al Fateh 76-83

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 7th ranked Al Khaleej's (1-3) home loss to sixth ranked Al Fateh (3-1) 76-83 on Friday. Al Fateh dominated down low during the game scoring 54 of its points in the paint compared to Al Khaleej's 34. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists comparing to just 10 passes made by Al Khaleej's players. American forward Anthony Fairley (203-1999, college: Miles) fired a double-double by scoring 26 points and 15 rebounds for the winners. American-Dominican forward Edgar Sosa (189-1988, college: Louisville) chipped in 28 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists (made all of his seven free throws). Four Al Fateh players scored in double figures. Derek Cedor produced 27 points and 7 rebounds and Congolese-French forward Nobel Boungou-Colo (202-1988) added 18 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players saving starting five for next games. Al Fateh moved-up to fifth place. Newly promoted Al Khaleej keeps the seventh position with three games lost. They share it with Al Safa and Al Salam. Al Fateh will meet league's leader Al Ahli in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Al Khaleej will play against the league's second-placed Al Hilal (#2) in Riyadh and hope to win that game.
Top scorers:
Al Khaleej: C.Derek 27+7reb+1ast, N.Boungou-Colo 18+13reb+4ast, M.Almutairi 12+7reb+1ast, A.James 6+5reb, A.Mosa 5+4reb, A.Al-Darweesh 5+4reb+2ast
Al Fateh: E.Sosa 28+7reb+8ast, A.Fairley 26+15reb+3ast, A.Mohammed 12+7reb+7ast, A.Saad 10+4reb+2ast, A.Abdullah 3+3reb, A.Al-Tamamr 2+1reb

Al Safa - Al Salam 67-66

Al Safa has registered their first victory this season after three consecutive losses. They used home court advantage to defeat Al Salam (1-3) 67-66 on Friday. Strangely Al Salam outrebounded Al Safa 50-38 including 37 on the defensive glass. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Dallas Morgan (185, college: CMU) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 23 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists and Rayan Alahmed who added 16 points during the contest. Four Al Safa players scored in double figures. At the losing side American-Bahrain Wayne Chism (206-1987, college: Tennessee) responded with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 19 rebounds and American forward Tony Farmer (201-1994, college: Lee JC) produced a double-double by scoring 17 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. Al Salam's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. It was the only win of host team this round and in all other games visitors recorded victories. Al Safa left bottom position moving up to seventh place, which they share with Al Khaleej and Al Salam. Al Safa is looking forward to face higher ranked Al Nassr (#3) in Riyadh in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Al Salam will play on the road against Ittihad (#4) in Jeddah and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Al Salam: T.Farmer 17+10reb+7ast, B.Spearman 16+5reb, W.Chism 15+19reb+2ast, A.Khalid 7+5reb+1ast, Y.Fallatah 6+2reb+1ast, A.Nimer Hussain 3+4reb
Al Safa: D.Morgan 23+11reb+4ast, A.Rayan 16+4reb, D.Dixson 12+6reb, A.Hassan 11+1reb+2ast, A.Ali 3+5reb+1ast, F.Ayman 2+1reb+2ast

Al Wehda - Al Nassr 70-76

Rather predictable result in Mecca where top-ranked Al Nassr (4-0) defeated 5th ranked Al Wehda (2-2) 76-70 on Friday. Al Nassr outrebounded Al Wehda 52-34 including a 21-4 advantage in offensive rebounds. American Carlton Bragg Jr. (208-1995, college: N.Mexico) fired a double-double by scoring 14 points and 18 rebounds for the winners. Nasser Abo Jallas chipped in a double-double by scoring 16 points and 12 rebounds. American guard Donte McGill (190-1995, college: FIU, agency: Green Sports Management) produced 24 points and 7 rebounds and his fellow American import forward Muhammed Ahmed (203, college: Bridgeport) added 17 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. Five Al Nassr and four Al Wehda players scored in double figures. Al Nassr have a solid four-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with 3 other teams. Loser Al Wehda dropped to the sixth place with two games lost. Al Nassr will meet at home Al Safa (#8) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Al Wehda will play against Al Taawoun and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Al Wehda: D.McGill 24+7reb+3ast, M.Ahmed 17+5reb+2ast, M.Thamer 12+7reb+2ast, M.Samb 11+7reb, A.Ayob 3+1reb+2ast, Q.Alaa 3+1reb+2ast
Al Nassr: K.Musab 17+6reb+3ast, A.Jallas Nasser 16+12reb+2ast, C.Bragg Jr. 14+18reb+1ast, P.Purifoy 13+7reb+1ast, P.Hardy 11+4reb+7ast, T.Almuhanna 3+2reb+2ast

Ohod - Al Hilal 71-81

Not a big story in a game in Medina where bottom-ranked Ohod (0-4) was defeated by top-ranked Al Hilal (4-0) 81-71 on Friday. Al Hilal dominated down low during the game scoring 54 of its points in the paint compared to Ohod's 32 and made 18-of-23 free shots (78.3 percent) during the game. American guard Antwan Scott (185-1992, college: Colorado St.) fired 26 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals for the winners. The former international center Mohammed Alsuwailem (211-1998) chipped in 20 points and 8 rebounds. Four Al Hilal players scored in double figures. American center Henry Sims (208-1990, college: Georgetown) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 13 rebounds and his fellow American import guard Jonathon Simmons (198-1989, college: Houston) added 18 points and 4 assists respectively for lost side. Al Hilal have a solid four-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with 3 other teams. Loser Ohod still closes the standings with four games lost. They share the position with Deba and Al Taawoun. Al Hilal will meet at home Al Khaleej (#7) in the next round where they are favorite. Ohod will play against Deba (#11) in Tabuk and looks forward to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Ohod: J.Simmons 18+4reb+4ast, F.Belal 15+5reb+5ast, H.Sims 12+13reb+2ast, S.Mohammad 8+3reb, A.Alhosawi 7+2reb+2ast, A.Almukhtar 6+1reb+1ast
Al Hilal: A.Scott 26+5reb+8ast, A.Mohammed 20+8reb, K.McDaniels 14+8reb, O.Albargawi 12+6reb, N.Alabsi 5+1reb+2ast, D.Walton 4+6reb+2ast