BASKETBALL – MOHAMMED Kowayed buried a step-back jumper to help send Bahrain representatives Riffa into the quarter-finals last night of the hugely exciting Manama Final – the season-ending event of the Fiba 3x3 World Tour 2025.
Kowayed’s basket gave Riffa a nail-biting 22-21 overtime victory over Vienna from Austria in their concluding Pool A contest yesterday, played at a packed and rocking purpose-built half-court at Bahrain Financial Harbour.
Riffa and Vienna battled to a 20-all stalemate at the end of regulation, sending the game into the extra session, which was to be decided by the first team to score two points.
Riffa’s Caspar Augustijnen put them ahead 21-20, and after Quincy Diggs tied it for the Austrians, Kowayed came up with the end-game heroics, which was his only basket in the win.
Dennis Donkor top scored for Riffa with nine points, Augustijnen had eight, and Jonas Foerts finished with four. Diggs paced three-man Vienna with 11 points. Each team had multiple chances to seal the win both in regular time and the extra session, but it was Kowayed who was able to deliver the knockout punch.
The result gave Riffa a split in their two preliminary round fixtures after suffering a 15-19 defeat to Serbian outfit Ub in their opening assignment.
Riffa now move on to the elite eight where they will take on Raudondvaris Hoptrans from Lithuania, who topped Pool C last night with two wins.
The other quarter-final pairings pit Ub from Serbia against Amsterdam Rabobank from the Netherlands and Skyliners from Germany with Miami from the US, while Hangzhou from China will be battling Toulouse from France.
The knockouts are to be played today, starting with the quarters from 4.10pm. The semi-finals will then be held from 7pm, with the final scheduled for 8.30pm.
The remaining teams will be battling for the biggest crown this season in international 3x3, as well as the lion’s share of the $200,000 total prize money on offer.
A shoot-out final will also take place at 6.30pm, while a dunk contest will be held at 8pm. All are welcome to attend today’s festivities. Entry is free.
Earlier in the day yesterday, all-Bahraini squad Seef lost both their games in the qualifying draw to miss out on a place in the pools.
They first bowed to Skyliners 11-21, and then were dealt a 9-21 defeat against Lugano Handong from Switzerland. Skyliners beat Lugano 18-11 in their head-to-head to punch the only ticket to the main round.
The Manama Final is taking place following a number of events held worldwide as part of the series’ 2025 calendar, starting in Japan in April.
It is the third straight year that the Fiba 3x3 World Tour is holding an event in Bahrain.
The previous two seasons, the kingdom held the Manama Masters, while this year is the first time the curtain-closer is taking place on the island.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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