BASKETBALL – MUHARRAQ step up their quest to complete an historic treble this season when they tip off their Golden Square semi-final series tonight against long-time rivals Al Ahli in the 2025-26 Zain Bahrain Basketball League.
The exciting head-to-head is one of two best-of-five clashes in the last four, both of which get underway this evening at Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town.
The other Golden Square affair is between Manama and Al Najma.
Muharraq are coming off a resounding victory in the final of the 2025-26 Khalifa Bin Salman Cup earlier this week, which earned them their second trophy of this campaign – adding to their win in the season-opening Bahrain Super Cup. They now take their first step towards their treble ambitions, and a familiar foe await in Ahli.
Muharraq and Ahli also squared off in this season’s Khalifa Bin Salman Cup semis, where Muharraq swept their best-of-three battle in two games.
Game one of their series tonight is scheduled for an 8pm tip-off. The other fixture this evening between Manama and Najma will be played beforehand at 6pm.
All five games in each match-up are scheduled for the same night. Game two is set for Sunday next week, to be followed by game three on Wednesday. Games four and five, if needed, are then slated for April 4 and April 7, respectively. As of game one, the contests are not open to fans.
The winners of the Golden Square will then lock horns in the championship series, also to be played best-of-five games. The Bahrain Basketball Association has announced that, should the pair of semi-finals be decided by their third games, the finals will begin on April 5. If they are completed by game four, then the finals will get underway on April 8.
Muharraq head into the Golden Square as heavy favourites. They completed the regular season in first place on the premier division standings and thus set up their clash with Ahli, who are seeded fourth. Manama, on the other hand, finished in second place while Najma were third.
Muharraq are coached by German Peter Schomers, and they will be relying heavily on their stacked Bahraini contingent, led by skipper Bader Abdulla Malabes, and featuring Mohammed Ameer, Mahmood Abbas Isa, Mohammed Juma’a, Younes Kowayed, Nader Ali, Ali Hussain, and Wayne Chism, among others.
Ahli will be looking to put on a tough fight. Under the tutelage of Ahmed Jan, they will be spearheaded by the likes of local stars Hesham Sarhan, Maitham Jameel, Mohammed Qurban, Ali Shukrallah, Sadeq Shukrallah, and Hussain Jan.
Manama, coached by veteran Bahraini tactician Salman Ramadhan, will be looking towards Ahmed Salman, Mohammed Buallay, Ali Jaber, and Hassan Nowrooz to set the tone; while Najma, guided by Tunisian coach Racem Marzougui, hope their formidable core of Mohammed Hussain, Ahmed Alderazi, Ali Aqeel, and Mohammed Kowayed can help inspire them to the championship series.
Muharraq clinched the 2024-25 Zain Bahrain Basketball League title following a hard-earned 3-2 triumph over Ahli in last year’s finals. It was their fourth-ever league crown – still far from the record number of titles held by Manama with 25, followed by Ahli with 20.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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