BASKETBALL – MUHARRAQ were last night crowned champions of the 2025-26 Bahrain Super Cup following a thrilling 76-71 victory over bitter rivals Manama at the Bahrain Basketball Association (BBA) Arena in Um Al Hassam Sports Complex.
Muharraq fended off a late surge by Manama, who erased a 15-point second-half deficit to take a stunning 63-62 lead midway through the fourth quarter on a three-pointer by American professional Jazzmarr Fereguson.
Muharraq were not to be denied, and they replied with a decisive 7-0 run, sparked by a Mohammed Ameer baseline jumper that gave them the advantage for good.
A rim-rattling, two-handed slam dunk by Wayne Chism off an assist by US import Kerwin Roach put Muharraq up 69-63, and after Hasan Nowrooz fired in from beyond the arc to cut Manama’s deficit to just three points, Muharraq iced the game with baskets from Roach and skipper Bader Abdulla Malabes.
Malabes was on target from long range with just a minute and 26 seconds to go, giving his team a 74-66 lead and virtually icing the contest.
“It felt good to come back and get the win,” said Chism. “It’s a great way to start the season, but for the rest of the season we shall see – we don’t know yet, it’s just one game, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Following the game, the players of both clubs were awarded their respective trophies and medals by officials from the BBA. Malabes received the coveted Bahrain Super Cup, which has been named after the Late Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, one of the former presidents of the BBA. Ameer came away with a trophy after being selected as the night’s best player.
Attending yesterday’s contest as a special guest of the BBA was Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) president Willie Marcial, who is visiting the kingdom to help promote the official PBA games that will be taking place in Bahrain for the first time on December 15 and 17.
The fixtures will feature popular professional basketball teams Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, and Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, and they will be held as part of the PBA’s 50th anniversary season while coinciding with Bahrain’s National Day celebrations.
The Bahrain Super Cup is held annually as the traditional curtain-raiser to the new national basketball campaign. The stage is now set for the start of the 2025-26 Zain Bahrain Basketball League, which is scheduled to tip off on Tuesday next week.
In last night’s affair, Muharraq got off to a strong start but Manama eked ahead 20-19 at the end of the first period after Ahmed Najaf split his charity shots. Muharraq then roared back in the second, holding their opponents to just 11 points to head into the break up 39-31.
Muharraq enjoyed their biggest lead of the night of 15 points, 55-40, following a Roach triple with five minutes to play in the third quarter. But Manama were able to reduce that gap to 51-58 with only the final canto remaining, paving the way for the dramatic finish.
Chism led Muharraq with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Ameer chipped in with 13 points. Roach nearly finished with a triple double including 11 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while Mahmood Abbas contributed 10 in the win.
Nowrooz had 20 off the bench to pace Manama. Court general Ahmed Salman scored 11, while Ferguson and Emran Hasan added 10 apiece in the loss.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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