BASKETBALL – MANAMA outclassed Al Najma 78-66 to take a one-game lead in their best-of-three semi-final series in the 2025-26 Khalifa Bin Salman Cup.
Manama came alive early in the fourth quarter and used a game-changing 10-0 run to pull away from their opponents after they got to within a single point.
Manama went on to lead by as many as their final winning margin of 12 en route to closing out the fine win.
The game was played at Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town with no fans in attendance.
Manama will now be looking to complete a sweep of their match-up when the two teams meet once again on the hardwood tomorrow at 8.30pm at the same venue. Najma, on the other hand, will be aiming to extend their battles to a winner-take-all third game, which would be played on Wednesday next week.
The winners of this series will move on to face the victors from the other semis affair between Khalifa Bin Salman Cup holders Muharraq and Al Ahli. Muharraq won the opener 93-87 on Wednesday night and are a triumph away from returning to the title game.
Muharraq and Ahli will also be hitting the court tomorrow for game two and on Wednesday for game three, if required. In Manama’s win, they had a see-saw first half with Najma, who also had the lead on multiple occasions in the first two quarters before Manama edged ahead 46-45 at the break.
Manama then held Najma to just eight points in a low-scoring third period, at the end of which they took a slim 57-53 cushion into the final frame.
There, after Ahmed Aldurazi scored five straight points to get Najma to within 58-59, Manama went on their decisive surge of 10 unanswered, sparked by Alex Young, who scored eight in the rally including back-to-back three-pointers that made it 69-58.
Najma never recovered, and they got no closer than eight points the rest of the way.
Young finished as the game’s leading scorer with 24 points, while court general Ahmed Salman added 18 and Mohammed Buallay had 10 as their third player in double figures, while also grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out six assists. Ali Jaber also played a key role with nine points and nine boards.
For Najma, Donovan Smith was their top performer with 15 points and nine rebounds. Mohammed Kowayed added 14 while Aldurazi scored 13 in the loss.
Manama are aiming to win the Khalifa Bin Salman Cup for the fourth time in the tournament’s history. They currently share the record for most wins of three with Ahli, while Najma are hoping to secure the title for the first time.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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