BASKETBALL – HOSTS Bahrain suffered a heart-breaking 86-87 defeat to Kuwait last night in the Gulf Basketball Association (GBA) Championship for National Teams 2024, currently being hosted by the kingdom.
The Bahrainis led by 10 points heading into the game’s final four minutes, but then took the foot off the gas and allowed the Kuwaitis to fight back and come away with the shock result.
Abdulaziz Alhamidi swished through the game-winning basket with 2.3 seconds left in the contest. He fired in over the outstretched arm of Bahrain big man Clifton Alexander, and the nationals were unable to get a shot off after the ensuing inbounds.
The Kuwaitis ruined the impressive 30-point performance of sweet-shooting Bahraini guard Mustafa Hussain. His fifth three-pointer of the night put them ahead 79-69 as they appeared to be headed towards a second straight win.
But the Kuwaitis gradually cut into the deficit, and an Alhamidi triple made it 80-85 with just over a minute to go. Then, Mohamed Adnan Hasan scored on a lay-up to get his team to within three with just half-a-minute to play. With 11.5 seconds left, Alexander Alghais split a pair of charity shots to get the Kuwaitis to just two points down, 83-85.
Bahrain’s Subah Hussain was then called for an unsportsmanlike foul, but he too took a knock and made one of two free-throws. Hussain Alkhabbaz converted both on the other end to make it 85-86, with Kuwait retaining possession.
That set the stage for Alhamidi’s go-ahead basket, which he scored from the free-throw line after receiving a pass from Alghais.
Bahrain were left stunned after being handed their first loss of the competition, which came just a day after they claimed a victory in similar fashion – with talented forward Muzamil Ameer hitting a game-winner with less than a second to play against Qatar.
The Kuwaitis, meanwhile, bounced back from an opening-night defeat to Saudi Arabia.
Alkhabbaz had 17 points to pace Kuwait, who had a balanced attack. Sayed Abdulmohsen Akbar added 14 while Alghais finished with 12, Alhamidi 11, and Ahmed Albaloushi 10 points.
Joining Mustafa Hussain as Bahrain’s top scorers were Ahmed Salman and Mohammed Ameer, who chipped in with 15 points apiece. Salman was ejected from the game early in the fourth quarter after being called for a technical foul. He already had an unsportsmanlike foul from the third period.
The game was tied at 21-apiece at the end of the first quarter but then Akbar scored with a lay-up right before the half to put Kuwait in front 45-43. The Bahrainis then rallied in the third to take a 67-63 advantage into the final frame, where they could not close the game out.
Bahrain will hope to bounce back from the setback when they face undefeated Saudi Arabia tonight in their concluding fixture of the preliminary round. Tip-off is at 7.30pm.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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