BASKETBALL – Al Ahli pulled off a heart-stopping 100-98 double-overtime victory over bitter rivals Manama last night as gameweek four wrapped up in the 2026-27 Zain Bahrain Basketball League.
Skipper Hesham Sarhan buried the game-winning basket with under a minute remaining in the second extra session.
His shot was eventually enough to separate the two sides in front of a packed crowd at Zain Basketball Arena in Um Al Hassam Sports Complex.
Manama had chances to either tie or take the lead in the closing seconds before the final buzzer, but missed their late attempts.
Earlier in the game, both teams had crucial baskets that extended the exciting clash. Manama’s Hasan Nowrooz first banked in from well beyond the arc to tie the proceedings at 80-all with 18.2 seconds left in regulation, forcing the first overtime.
Brandone Francis then did the same for Manama from nearly the same spot as Nowrooz’s leveller, but this time his attempt gave Manama the lead with just 2.2 seconds to go in overtime one.
Sarhan, however, was able to sink a free-throw to keep the battle going into another five minutes.
There, the see-saw nature of the contest continued, but Manama even held a slim 97-96 edge with a minute-and-a-half to play.
But Alwatheq Ali put Ahli back in front and after a Mohammed Ghazi split from the free-throw line forged a 98-all tie, Sarhan delivered the final blow.
Aaron Gedeon spearheaded Ahli’s balanced attack in the win with 18 points.
Mohammed Kowayed chipped in with 17, Sarhan had 16, Derrick Woods scored 15, and Ali Husain Baqer finished with 14 markers.
Francis was Manama’s top man with 29 points while Nowrooz added 21, both coming off the bench. Rakeem Christmas had 19 in their losing effort.
Ahli posted their third win after four outings with the result, while Manama suffered their first loss in what was only their second game so far in the new campaign, having had a busy schedule representing the kingdom in 38th Arab Basketball Championship for Men’s Clubs earlier this month in Beirut, Lebanon.
Meanwhile, two-time defending champions Muharraq were dominant in the second half in a 127-77 rout of Al Ettihad in last night’s other fourth round contest, played at the same venue.
Muharraq’s Malabes goes for a lay-up in traffic in their rout of Ettihad
After Ettihad got to within two, 40-42, with under two minutes left in the second quarter, Muharraq finished the half strong and used a 9-1 run to head into the interval up 51-41.
They then blew the game wide open in the last two periods, where they erupted for 37 and 39 points, respectively, while holding Ettihad to a combined 36 points from both frames.
Muharraq’s biggest lead of the evening was 52 on a Mohamed Khaled Saleh lay-up with under a minute left on the game clock.
A whopping eight players finished in double figures for the reigning title holders, who were red hot from beyond the arc, firing in 22 three-pointers from 41 attempts.
They were led by the 19 points off the bench of Glenn Taylor Jr, while Ali Hussain chipped in with 16, Sayeed Pridgett had 15, and both team captain Bader Abdulla Malabes and Mahmood Abbas had 14 apiece.
All 12 of Muharraq’s players made it onto the score sheet as they charged to their fourth win in as many assignments while handing Ettihad their third loss to go with a single win.
Omari Peek-Green had 30 to pace Ettihad while Nader Shaker added 10.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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