TDT | Manama
Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Al Hara defeated Al Etihad 88-83 last night in the first week match of the 2023/2024 Zain Bahrain Basketball League.
American professional Alex Young scored some important goals late on and helped Jara maintain their lead as the Etihad made a late charge.
Young scored first on a driving layup with a minute and a half left, giving Harrah an 83-80 lead. Young scored again with 29 seconds remaining after Etihad’s Saeed Khadem Majid made two free throws. Virtually ices the game.
Young scored a game-high 37 points and also grabbed 13 rebounds.
Compatriot Tyron Nash had an impressive 24 points and 20 rebounds for Hara, but they were the only two players on the team to score in double figures.
Lyle Owens paced the Etihad with 23 points, while Ronald Delph chipped in with 21 markers and 17 boards, along with four blocks.
Meanwhile, in yesterday’s other match, Al Najma came from behind to win 88-62 against Bahrain club.
Najma, who led 16-15 at the end of the first quarter, began to run away from the opposition at 20-11 in the second period.
They never looked back and enjoyed a 28-point lead with the rest of the game.
Elijah Robinson led the way for Najma, scoring 40 points including five 3-pointers, grabbing 10 rebounds and recording four steals.
Saeed Mohammed Hameed chipped in with 15 points for Najma, and Joshua Caldwell chipped in with 11 points.
Tavarion Nix was the Bahrain club’s top scorer with 17 points, while Mahmoud Abbas added 11 points in the loss.
The first week of league play concludes tonight with two more games as scheduled at Zain Basketball Arena in Umm Al Hassam.
At 5:30 p.m., Al Ahly will play Nuweidrat, while defending champions Manama will take on Samahij at 7:30 p.m.