Asia
Champions Cup. Finals - May. 20, 2008 Championship Game
SABA Battery - Rayyan 82:75
The Iranian powerhouse SABA Battery clinched the second straight Asia
Champions Cup title yesterday. They overpowered Qatari Rayyan in the
championship game in Kuwait. The game turned into a dramatic contest
with the sides keeping it on level terms for the major part of the game.
However
DaJuan Tate (196-G/F-81, college:
Mountain St.) accounted for a couple of key points in the dying
minutes to propel the SABA Battery to an impressive success. SABA
Battery and Rayyan exchanged the blows early in the encounter with the
Iranian outfit grabbing a 16:15 lead at the first intermission. Rayyan
relied on solid performance from
Eric Chatfield (191-G-79, college:
N.Mexico) to regain the control over the game in the second quarter.
Rayyans American import came up with 15 points in the frame and Qatari
team claimed a 10-point advantage at halftime. The things changed
radically in the third stanza and SABA Battery started to claw their way
back.
DaJuan Tate and
Gabe Muoneke (200-F-78, college:
Texas) teamed up to ignite a 32:14 rally that put SABA in front
61:53 after three quarters of action.
Eric Chatfield came up with a trey to tie it all at 68 late in
regulation.
DaJuan Tate answered with 7 straight points to carry SABA to safe
distance and they ensured the winning outcome at the end.
DaJuan Tate scored 30 points to lead all scorers.
Gabe Muoneke added 26 points, while
Hamed Hadadi (218-C-85, agency:
Huss Sport Agency) nailed 18 points for the winners.
Eric Chatfield knocked down 29 points to pace Rayyan.
Yaseen Ismail (204-F-80) accounted for 15 points and
Dalron Johnson (206-F-81, college:
UNLV)
had 13 in defeat.
Wasl - Riyadi 87:82
Al Wasl stepped on the pedestal as they outgunned Riyadi in the Bronze
medals final yesterday. The victory marked a historic event for the
Emirates basketball as Wasl became the first ever team from the country
to grab medals at the Asia Champions Cup. Riyadi meanwhile returned to
the event after a 10-year pause and failed to overcome the result that
achieved in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 (Bronze medals).
The Lebanese team got to an aggressive start and cleared off to a 29:20
distance at the end of the first frame. However Ivorian import
Herve Lamizana (208-F/C-81, college:
Rutgers) stepped up for Wasl and paced them back into fight. Wasl
trimmed the gap to 3 points at halftime as the tension mounted. The
teams traded baskets in what turned out to be a seesaw third frame.
Still Wasl found the way to jump in front as they grabbed a 65:63 lead
heading into the fourth stanza. The pressure escalated on both sides in
the dying moments but
Herve Lamizana was superb as he kept it cool and doomed Riyadi in
the crunch time. The Ivorian tallied game-high 30 points to propel Wasl
to a historic third-place finish. Ibraheem Ahmad contributed 22 points
and Rashed Al-Zaabi launched 15 for the winners.
Joe Vogel (211-C-73, agency:
Pro Management Agency, college:
Colorado St.) answered with 28 points for Riyadi.
Fadi El Khatib (197-F-79, agency:
Pro Management Agency) came up with 26 points in a losing case. So
the 19th Edition of Asia Champions Cup was successfully completed with
Wasl suffering the only loss at the tournament and registering an
impressive record as for the teams that was widely taken as underdogs
before the competition.
Asia
Champions Cup. Semifinals - May. 19, 2008 Rayyan - Wasl 81:57 Qatari Rayyan entered the Asia Champions Cup Final yesterday
after beating previously undefeated Wasl in the semifinal. The Qatari
outfit reached their 5th final in the last 8 editions of the
competition. Wasl started the game without their charismatic leader
Courtney Fields who was sidelined with a knee injury. It paid off
immediately as Rayyan used the dominance in height to full advantage.
Wasl managed to stay close in the starting frame due to heroics from
Ayoub Albaloushi as they trailed by 2 points after 10 minutes of action.
However Rayyan stepped on the gas in the second quarter and Wasl
immediately started to lag behind. Qatari outfit ignited a massive 29:9
rally in the second stanza to accumulate a 22-point buffer at halftime.
Herve Lamizana (208-F/C-81, college:
Rutgers) was obviously out of rhythm on the night and Wasl simple
ran out of options to change the complexion of the game. Rayyan notched
a 23:13 third frame to pile up an insurmountable 32-point margin before
the fourth term. Brian Lester introduced his bench players into action
in the final period with the outcome pretty vivid. Wasl used the fact to
cut the deficit a bit but it did not matter as Rayyan headed into the
tournament finale.
Yaseen Ismail (204-F-80) came up with 16 points to lead Rayyan.
Dalron Johnson (206-F-81, college:
UNLV)
scored 15 points, while
Saad Abdulrahman Ali (194-F-85) had 10 for the winners. Ayoub
Albaloushi answered with game-high 21 points for Wasl.
Herve Lamizana knocked down 13 points in a loss.
SABA Battery - Al Riyadi 70:68
The Asia Champions Cup defending champions SABA Battery left ups and
downs of the preliminary round behind them and now look ready to claim
the second straight title. Yesterday the Iranian outfit snatched a
dramatic 70:68 win over Lebanese Riyadi to reach the championship game.
Riyadi entered the game undefeated and hoped to stretch their spotless
run. But SABA Battery put on a strong performance to steal a narrow win
at the dying minutes. Riyadi suffered a major setback early in the
encounter as their captain
Ahmad Ismail (201-F-76) got injured and struggled to return to
action in the latter stages. The injury was later rumored to be a
season-ending one for Ahmad. Riyadi looked a bit bewildered by the
absence of the key player and SABA Battery used to their advantage. The
Iranian side ran away to a 42:39 lead at halftime. The spark for
Lebanese team came in the third stanza as
Fadi El Khatib (197-F-79, agency:
Pro Management Agency) scored a couple of impressive baskets and
Omar Turk provided back up as Al Riyadi spurred ahead to an 8-point
distance. SABA Battery trimmed the gap to 3 points heading into the
fourth period 51:54. But three back-to-back trebles from Battery put the
Iranian squad back on top early in the fourth quarter. SABA Battery kept
it cool throughout the fourth frame and entered the crunch time in
front. They had a 3-point advantage with seconds left in regulation when
Fadi El Khatib was put to charity stripe. He nailed his first
attempt and then purposely missed the second one, while
Ali Fakhreddine (202-C-83) pulled down a rebound for a chance to
force overtime. But his attempt went off target sealing the win for SABA
Battery. SABA Battery will now face Qatari Al Rayyan in the Final today.
Asia
Champions Cup. Quarterfinals - May. 17, 2008 Rayyan - Muharraq 95:78 Qatari Rayyan cruised past Muharraq of Bahrain to reach the
semifinal stage yesterday. The teams had three days of rest after the
quarterfinal stage was postponed because of the state mourning in
Kuwait. So both sides were ready to fight and come up with their best
performances. It turned to be partly true as Rayyan looked impressive
down the line and posted an easy win. Qatari team jumped to a lead late
in the first frame and drove to a 23:17 advantage after 10 minutes of
action. A well-balanced offensive effort from Rayyan allowed Qatari side
to stretch the gap to as many as 14 points at halftime. Rayyan did a
great defensive job limiting Muharraq leader Donald Little to only 12
points and thus cutting the offensive options for Muharraq. Saad Ali
stepped up for Rayyan in the second half as they kept their opponents at
bay and rolled to a comfortable victory. The margin reached an 18-point
mark after three quarters and Muharraq simply lacked answers for the
sizzling performance from Rayyan. The defense eased the pressure in the
fourth period as both teams fired from all distances but Rayyan had the
game under control and registered a comfortable win at the end.
Dalron Johnson (206-F-81, college:
UNLV)
provided 21 points to lead Rayyan. Saad Ali launched 18 points, while
Yassen Musa had 14 in a winning clause.
Rah-Shun Roberts (202-F-75, college:
California (PA)) replied with 24 points for Muharraq. Mohammed
Alderazi scored 24 points in defeat. Rayyan will face Wasl in the
semifinal clash tomorrow.
Rayyan:
Dalron Johnson 21, Saad Ali 18, Yassen Musa 14, Eric Chatfield 13 Muharraq:
Rah-Shun Roberts 24, Mohammed Alderazi 24
Wasl - Zain 84:75 The Emirates Wasl sent a strong message to their opponents
their impressive preliminary round record was not a mere coincidence.
They stretched their unbeaten run to 5 games handling Zain Club in the
quarterfinal yesterday. But the road to yesterdays success was a bumpy
one for Wasl. They got to a slow start and Zain Club quickly stepped in
front. The Jordanian outfit that many thought was just gaining the speed
in the preliminary action seemed to start living up to the expectations.
They looked aggressive in defense and pretty accurate on the other side
of the court to accumulate a 22:17 lead after the first frame. The
things did not change in the second frame as Zain Club kept on forcing
their issue with Wasl finding no answers for the onslaught. Zain
stretched the lead to as many as 7 points at halftime and the sensation
began shaping up. But it was a different Wasl that appeared on the court
after the break.
Herve Lamizana (208-F/C-81, college:
Rutgers) and
Courtney Fields (206-F-82, college:
Iona)
finally shook off their first half sloppiness and Wasl gradually took
over. The Emirates outfit first closed the gap and spurred in front
59:58 after three quarters of action. Zain stayed close in the opening
minutes of the final period and then regained the lead 70:63 midway
through the frame. But Wasl were far from being done. They posted a
stunning 21:5 run to cap the game and snatched an outstanding victory at
the end.
Herve Lamizana and
Courtney Fields scored 22 points apiece to pace Wasl. Ayoub
Albaloushi provided 13 points for the winners.
Boney Watson (183-G, college:
Sam Houston St.) had 25 points for Zain.
Zeid Abbas (203-C-83) nailed 20 points in a losing effort. Wasl will
now face Al Rayyan in the semis.
SABA Battery - BK Almaty 88:77 The Asia Champions Cup resumed its action after a couple of
days of mourning after the death of Emir of Kuwait. Yesterday the
quarterfinal games were played and the defending champions SABA Battery
claimed their semifinal spot. With the semifinal birth at stake SABA
Battery turned on to the maximum speed to dominate right from the start.
The Iranian outfit easily jumped to a 25:14 after the opening frame but
the game was far from settled. BK Almaty kept a steady line and
gradually cut the gap to 4 points at the long break. The Kazakh team
stayed competitive throughout the third period as their trademark tough
defense proved quite difficult for SABA to deal with. But Samad Nikkah
drained a couple of three-pointers and the reigning champions enjoyed a
66:60 lead with a quarter to go. SABA stepped on the gas in the final
term and looked more aggressive in the long run.
Gabe Muoneke (200-F-78, college:
Texas) took over the floor in the dying minutes leading SABA to an
impressive victory. He finished with game-high 26 points for the
victors. Samad Nikkah produced 24 points, while Hamed Hadadi scored 17
points in a winning case.
Vsevolod Fadeykin (206-G-85) answered with 25 points for BK Almaty.
Mikhail Yevstigneev netted 24 points in defeat. SABA Battery will take
on undefeated Wasl in the semis tomorrow.
SABA Battery:
Gabe Muoneke 26, Samad Nikkah 24, Hamed Hadadi 17 BK Almaty:
Vsevolod Fadeykin 25, Mikhail Evstigneev 24
Qadsia - Riyadi 80:91
The hosting Qadsia had to leave the Asia Champions Cup early yesterday
after they were held off by Riyadi in the quarterfinal. The hosts had
somehow unconvincing performance during the preliminary round and
finished their Pool just at the 4th spot. Thus they had to face the
top-seeded Riyadi in the opening round of the knockout stage. Qadsia
threw everything they have to keep competitive in this one. They were
supported by a sell-out crowd and looked ready to challenge the Lebanese
outfit from the start. The teams traded baskets at the start but the
experienced Riyadi squad found the way to enjoy a 22:19 lead after the
starting frame. Qadsia remained close throughout the second period with
Alpha Bangura (197-F/G-80, college:
St.John's) leading the charge for the hosts. Riyadi however did not
allow the home team to step in front and completed the first half up by
4 points. The breakthrough for the visitors came early in the third
stanza as Omar Turk and Ali Mahmoud converted some fastbreaks and Riyadi
jumped to a 66:54 lead. Qadsia ran out of steam in the fourth stanza as
they never threatened the advantage seriously allowing Riyadi to coast
to an overall victory.
Fadi El Khatib (197-F-79, agency:
Pro Management Agency) provided 28 points to pace the winners.
Ahmad Ismail (201-F-76) knocked down 24 points, while Omar Turk
scored 17 in a win.
Alpha Bangura dropped 24 points for Qadsia.
Abdul Aziz Mohammad (186-F-87) added 15 points in a losing effort.
So now Riyadi will take on the Cup defending champions SABA Battery in
the semifinal tomorrow.
Quarterfinals
to be played on Friday - May. 15, 2008 Source: FIBA-Asia
Action in the 19th FIBA Asia Champions Cup, which was deferred owing to
the death of the former Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Saad Abdullah al-Sabah,
will resume on Friday.
The Technical Committee of the Champions Cup, which met on Wednesday
decided to hold the quarterfinals which were originally scheduled for
Wednesday on Friday.
The committee also decided to hold the semifinals on Sunday and the
final on Monday.
The committee further decided to call off the play-off matches to decide
the 5-10 positions.
Asia
Champions Cup. Day 5 - May. 13, 2008 Zain Club - MUBA Hangtuah 100:59 Jordanian Zain Club finished their preliminary action at the
Asia Champions Cup on a high note. They eased past MUBA Hangtuah to
reach the quarterfinal stage. In the meantime Indonesian outfit was
knocked out of the playoffs and they would play for the 9th spot against
ONGC from India. The teams kept it close in the starting frame with Zain
Club forcing no issue. Zain however shrugged off their energy-saving
style of play in the second period. Wesam Alsoos fueled a 30:10 run from
Jordanian team as they rolled to a 24-point lead at the interval. MUBA
Hangtuah struggled offensively in the third stanza as well accounting
for just 10 points and heading into the fourth frame down by as many as
40 points. The Indonesian team never recovered at the late stages and
had to surrender at the end. Wesam Alsoos finished with game-high 24
points for Zain.
Enver Soobzokov (193-G/F-78, college:
Cal.St.-San Bernar.) netted 17 points, while Boney Watson provided
16 for the winners. Marquello Morgan came up with 15 points for MABU.
Marcus Jacobs (183-G-80, college:
Tarleton St.) dropped 14 points in a loss. Zain Club next takes on
Al Wasl in the quarterfinal clash. MABU Hangtuah will challenge ONGC
from India on Wednesday in the fight for the 9th spot.
Al Rayyan - BK Almaty 89:68 The Asia Champions Cup preliminary round has ended with the
teams preparing for the quarterfinal battles now. Yesterday the curtain
fell with 8 teams figuring out the last placing in the Groups. In Group
A Qatari Al Rayyan topples BK Almaty from Kazakhstan to claim the second
spot. The trademark defense from BK Almaty did not well quite smoothly
right from the start and Al Rayyan easily ran away to a 32:15 distance
after the first frame.
Eric Chatfield (191-G-79, college:
N.Mexico) paced well balanced Al Rayyan offense and the team enjoyed
a 24-point cushion before the fourth period. BK Almaty simply could not
match their opponents tempo and trailed by unassailable 25 points after
three quarters of action. Vsevolod Fadeykin helped Kazakh team cut the
deficit a bit in the fourth period but it never influenced the outcome
as Al Rayyan posted their 3rd win in the tournament.
Eric Chatfield scored 28 points for Qatari team.
Daoud Musa (193-G-82) dropped 23 points, while Dalron Johnson had 15
points in a winning case.
Mikhail Evstigneev (203-F-84) and Vsevolod Fadeykin nailed 20 points
apiece for BK Almaty. BK Almaty will now face the defending champions
SABA Battery in the quarterfinal on Wednesday. Al Rayyan will be opposed
by Al Muharraq at the stage. Al Rayyan coach Brian Lester stressed the
necessity of playing a tougher defense against Al Muharraq in order to
celebrate success. Al Rayyan can hope for some big results this season
as
Eric Chatfield seems to glue well with Dalron Johnson and the duo is
a dangerous weapon against any side.
Al Wasl - Al Qadsia 83:82 The Emirates Al Wasl extended their perfect run to 4 games
beating Al Qadsia in the final round of preliminary action at the Asia
Champions Cup in Kuwait. Al Wasl won all of their Pool B games and
finished atop the ladder. The game turned into a real heated battle
though the sides had nothing but pride to lose. Al Wasl jumped into an
early lead as they dominated 29:22 the first frame. The Emirates outfit
widened the margin to 8 points at halftime and seemed to roll
confidently to victory. A tested duo of
Courtney Fields (206-F-82, college:
Iona)
and
Herve Lamizana (208-F/C-81, college:
Rutgers) had another outstanding night and allowed Al Wasl to
maintain an 11-point cushion before the fourth stanza. But Al Qadsia
showed their character and struck back in the fourth term.
Alpha Bangura (197-F/G-80, college:
St.John's) ignited a comeback effort from the hosts as Al Qadsia
knotted things up and forced overtime. However it was Al Wasl to come up
big in the extra period.
Alpha Bangura picked up his fifth foul and then Herve Lamizna sealed
the outcome for Al Wasl from free throw line as the Emirates side
slipped away with a narrow win.
Courtney Fields knocked down 24 points and 12 boards for the
winners.
Herve Lamizana launched 21 points for Al Wasl.
Alpha Bangura produced game-high 25 points and 8 boards for Al
Qadsia.
Abdullah Al Sarraf (194-F-82) had 23 points in a losing effort. Al
Wasl set up a quarterfinal showdown against Zain Club from Jordan on
Wednesday. Al Qadsia will take on the tournament favorites Al Riyadi on
the same day.
SABA Battery - Al Muharraq 92:68 SABA Battery forgot sour memories of the preliminary loss to Al
Wasl and kept on winning. In the final game in Pool B the Asia Champions
Cup defending champions handled Al Muharraq from Bahrain and booked the
second spot in the Group. The defeat however still allowed Al Muharraq
to reach the quarterfinal stage where they would play against Al Rayyan.
SABA Battery jumped to an early dominance as they outscored their
opponents 33:17 in the starting frame. The margin was stretched to as
many as 30 points at halftime and Iranian team never looked back
afterwards. The game was a battle of imports duets as
Gabe Muoneke (200-F-78, college:
Texas) and DaJuan Tate paced SABA Battery, while
Rah-Shun Roberts (202-F-75, college:
California (PA)) and Donald Little led the charge for Bahrain team.
SABA Battery exploded with 21 points in the third stanza bruising Al
Muharraq and leaving them with an insurmountable 37-point deficit before
the final period. Al Muharraq cut the gap in the fourth frame but never
seriously threatened Iranian side. SABA Battery finalized a confident
success at the end and would take on BK Almaty in the quarterfinal
clash. Gabe Muoneke led the action with 22 points for SABA Battery. DaJuan
Tate provided 17 points, while Mahdi Kamrani notched 11 points for the
winners.
Rah-Shun Roberts scored 21 points for Al Muharraq. Donald Little
produced 20 points in a losing case. The tournament will take a day
pause before enjoying the quarterfinal battles.
SABA Battery:
Gabe Muoneke 22, DaJuan Tate 17, Mahdi Kamrani 11 Al Muharraq:
Rah-Shun Roberts 21, Donald Little 20
Asia
Champions Cup. Day 4 - May. 12, 2008 Al Riyadi - Al Rayyan 88:79
Al Riyadi registered their fourth straight victory beating Al Rayyan
yesterday. Thus Lebanese powerhouse booked the top spot in Pool A and
qualified for the quarterfinal stage. There they will take on Al Qadsia
from Kuwait as the hosts have already slated their 4th place finish in
Group B. Al Rayyan meanwhile suffered their first loss at the tournament
and remained at the second spot just behind Al Riyadi. The teams were
well matched in the starting minutes as neither side was able to spur
ahead. The things were all tied at 20 after one quarter of action.
However
Fadi El Khatib (197-F-79, agency:
Pro Management Agency) fueled Al Riyadi fierce rally in the second
quarter as Lebanese team cleared off to a 12-point distance. However Al
Rayyan were not taken aback.
Eric Chatfield (191-G-79, college:
N.Mexico) and
Dalron Johnson (206-F-81, college:
UNLV)
kept on delivering points and the gap was eventually narrowed to 6
points after three quarters. But it was
Fadi El Khatib who had the last laugh in this game as he came up
with some vital baskets in the fourth term to propel Al Riyadi to a
difficult victory at the end. He finished with game-high 27 points to
lead Al Riyadi.
Ali Mahmoud (182-G-83) launched 23 points, while Ismail Ahmad
dropped 21 for the winners.
Eric Chatfield provided 23 points for Al Rayyan.
Dalron Johnson had 16 points in a losing effort. Al Rayyan will play
against BK Almaty in the last preliminary round today.
BK Almaty - Zain 76:60
Kazakhstan sensation BK Almaty posted their second win at the Asia
Champions Cup yesterday. This time they quite easily handled Zain Club
from Jordan to improve to 2-1 record in Group A ladder. Zain meanwhile
suffered their third straight defeat and put themselves on the edge of
missing the playoffs. They now must beat Muba Hangtuah today to make it
to the quarterfinals. BK Almaty started the game playing an aggressive
defense while Zain Club looked sloppy at the early stages. BK Almaty
jumped to a 24:15 lead after the starting frame and kept mounting the
pressure. They held Zain Club to 11 points in the second quarter and
stretched the gap to 14 points at halftime. BK Almaty never looked back
in the second half and rolled to a confident victory.
Vsevolod Fadeykin (206-G-85) topscored with 21 points for BK Almaty.
Anton Kataev provided 19 points in a winning case. Mohammad Hadrab
nailed 22 points for Zain Club. Mosa Bashir dropped 13 points in a
losing effort. Zain Club head coach Maz Trakh did not draw too much
attention to the loss. He underlined the importance of the experience
gained by his bench players in the game of such level and pointed out
that one win would suit his team to reach quarterfinal. Zain play
against Indonesian Muba Hangtuah for the last ticket to the playoffs
from Pool A. BK Almaty will take on Al Rayyan later tonight.
SABA Battery - ONGC Dehradoon 130:76
The Asia Champions Cup title holders Iranian SABA Battery is back in the
winning track. They entered the tournament as one of the biggest
favorites but the status received a major blow on Friday. SABA Battery
were surprisingly beaten by Al Wasl and the result had arisen some
questions about the Iranian champs form. ONGC from India had the last
chance to stay in the title race and they needed a victory. But their
hopes went astray in the opening stanza. SABA jumped to an early 35:10
lead and looked too good for ONGC at the moment. The game evened in the
second and third stanzas with ONGC keeping a steady offensive income.
However Iranian team exploded once again in the fourth period knocking
down 38 points and finalizing a massive win.
DaJuan Tate (196-G/F-81, college:
Mountain St.) came up with 42 points and 6 boards for SABA Battery.
Kamran Jamshidvand (187-F-80) scored 26 points and Mahdi Kamrani had
12 for the winners.
Desraj (189-F) nailed 23 points for ONGC. Muraleekrishnan dropped 15
points in a losing case. SABA Battery will take on AL Muharraq in the
final game of the preliminary round today. ONGC will wait for the result
of the final round in Pool A to get to know their opponents in the game
for the 9th spot.
Al Wasl - Al Muharraq 116:88 The Emirates Al Wasl extended their winning streak to 3 games
toping Al Muharraq yesterday. Both sides entered the game undefeated and
hoped to stretch their winning run. The teams traded buckets early on
but gradually Al Wasl took over. They used a tough defense to limit Al
Muharraq offensive options and keeping them away from the paint. It
worked pretty well as Al Wasl accumulated a 31:18 lead after the
starting frame. Al Muharraq however stayed contestant in the second
period as
Donald Little (211-C-78, agency:
EM-PA, college:
Cincinnati) was on fire for Bahrain side. Al Wasl enjoyed a 12-point
advantage at halftime but went on a run right after the break.
Courtney Fields (206-F-82, college:
Iona)
and Herve Lamizana teamed up to ignite a 33:16 rally from the Emirates
outfit as Al Wasl cleared off to an insurmountable distance. Al Muharraq
never threatened the lead in the fourth period and suffered their first
loss at the tournament.
Courtney Fields led Al Wasl with 25 points and 12 boards. Herve
Lamizana had 19 points and 11 boards in a win.
Donald Little answered with game-high 32 points and 10 boards in
defeat. Al Wasl will now play against Al Qadsia in the final round of
preliminary action. Al Muharraq will try to secure the second spot in
the clash with the defending champions SABA Battery. Al Wasl win also
meant that Al Qadsia will finish fourth in Pool B.
Al Wasl:
Courtney Fields 25+12 boards, Herve Lamizana 19+11 boards, Ibrahim
Ahmad 17 Al Muharraq:
Donald Little 32+10 boards, Mohammad Mohammad 21
Asia
Champions Cup. Day 3 - May. 11, 2008 BK Almaty - Muba Hangtuah 71:49 Kazakhstan BK Almaty strengthened their position in preliminary
Pool A at the Asia Champions Cup in Kuwait. They overcame Indonesian
Muba Hangtuah for the first win at the tournament. It allowed Kazakh
team to improve to 1-1 record and stay hopeful about their chances to
reach quarterfinal stage. Muba Hangtuah meanwhile slipped to 0-3 record
and need pure luck to stay in title race. BK Almaty understood it was a
good chance for them to open the victories count for them and they fired
from all guns early in the game. It worked pretty smoothly as BK Almaty
jumped to a 25:14 lead after the starting frame. But Muba Hangtuah never
was an easy take as they struck back in the second frame. Indonesian
team trimmed the gap to just 7 points at the long break. But a perfect
defensive effort from BK Almaty limited their opponents to only 6 points
in the third stanza as the Kazakhstan squad went on a 24:6 run to clear
off to a safe distance. Muba Hangtuah recovered in the final frame but
it was too late to threaten BK Almaty lead.
Anton Kataev (201-F-84) led the action with 19 points for BK Almaty.
Vsevolod Fadeykin had 14 points, while Mikhail Evtigneev launched 13
points in a win.
Adhitya Tuhagono (178-G-84) answered with 13 points for MubaHang.
Marcus Jacobs nailed 12 points in defeat. BK Almaty will face winless
Zain Club later tonight. Muba Hangtuah will a have a bye round before
taking on Zain Club tomorrow.
BK Almaty:
Anton Kataev 19, Vsevolod Fadeykin 14, Mikhail Evtigneev 13 MubaHang:
Adhitya Tuhagono 13, Marcus Jacobs 12
Al Muharraq - Al Qadsia 83:69 Bahrain powerhouse Al Muharraq extended their winning streak at
the Asia Champions Cup in Kuwait. Yesterday they faced a touch challenge
as they took on the hosting Al Qadsia in the third round of action. Al
Qadsia looked forward rebounded quickly after the starting loss to SABA
Battery to handle Dehadroon in the second round. With emotions flying
high Al Qadsia took on Al Muharraq full of optimism. But Bahrain outfit
proved they should be taken seriously and left no chance for the home
team to improve to 2-0 record in the ladder. The hosts jumped to a quick
start as they enjoyed a 22:19 lead after on quarter of action. Al
Muharraq struggled to adjust the defense and still trailed 35:37 at
halftime. However
Ebrahim Alderazi stepped up for the Al Muharraq to ignite a comeback
effort in the second half. He led the charge for the visitors as they
surged ahead in the third period. Moreover Al Muharraq finally managed
to follow John Wojtaks defensive tasks and Al Qadsia started to lag
behind. The visitors hit on all cylinders in the fourth period and
easily ran away to safe distance at the end.
Ebrahim Alderazi provided 20 points to lead Al Muharraq.
Donald Little (211-C-78, agency:
EM-PA, college:
Cincinnati) scored 15 points, while Rah-Shun Roberts and Mohammad
Mohammad nailed 13 points apiece for the winners.
Alpha Bangura (197-F/G-80, college:
St.John's) and Abdul Aziz Mohammad drained 15 points apiece to pace
Al Qadsia. Shayee Saeed launched 14 points in a loss. Al Muharraq faces
Al Wahl in the showdown in Pool B. Al Qadsia take a bye round today.
Al Wasl - ONGC 102:72
Al Wasl posted their second win in a row and remained in the leaders mix
at the Asia Champions Cup in Kuwait. In the third round of action UAE
team took on ONGC Dehradoon from India. The teams
started the tournament with polar results as Al Wasl celebrated an
impressive win in the initial game, while ONGC suffered two defeats in a
row and slipped at the bottom of the preliminary Pool B. ONG Dehradoon
failed to break the deadlock as they were beaten for the third straight
time, while it became the second win in a row for Al Wasl. Al Wasl
dominated in every component of the game and coasted to a comfortable
victory over their India counterparts. Al Wals gained the confidence
with a surprising win over the defending champions SABA Battery in the
second round and now would be difficult opponent to stop. The Emirates
team led by 11 points after the opening stanza and stretched the gap to
as many as 13 points at the interval. ONGC fought bravely but could not
match the tempo and trailed by 19 points before the fourth period. Ayoub
Albalooshi was merely unstoppable and carried Al Wasl to a cruising
victory at the end. He finished with game-high 41 points. ONGC were led
by
Desraj (189-F) and
Trideep Rai (190-F-83) with 15 points apiece. Abdul Hamid praised
the attitude of his players. He stressed the importance of the win over
SABA Battery for his team as they gained confidence for the upcoming
games.
ONGC must win in the clash with SABA Battery to stay in the title race.
Al Wasl meanwhile will take on Al Muharraq in the leaders battle later
tonight.
Al Wasl: Ayoub Albalooshi 41 ONGC:
Desraj 15,
Trideep Rai 15 Al Riyadi - Zain Club 72:71 Al Riyadi posted their third in a row at the Asia Champions Cup
in Kuwait. This time the Lebanese outfit needed some luck to narrowly
overcome Zain Club from Jordan. The teams kept it close right from the
start with the scoreline tied at 17 after the starting frame. But
three-pointers from
Omar Turk (186-G-81, college:
Dawson Coll.) and steady game from
Ahmad Ismail (201-F-76) allowed Lebanese side to go up. They grabbed
a 43:36 lead at the long break.
Boney Watson (183-G, college:
Sam Houston St.) and
Hiram Fuller (206-F-81, agency:
Octagon, college:
Fresno St.) paced Zain Club but it was not enough to change the
course of the game in the third stanza. Al Riyadi maintained the
advantage and stretched it to 11 points before the fourth term. But the
game was far from over as Zain gradually trimmed the deficit in the
fourth period. They trailed by just a single point in the dying seconds
and had a chance to save the day after
Ahmad Ismail committed a turnover. But Zaid Abas paid back the
favour losing the ball and sealing the victory for Al Riyadi.
Omar Turk scored 20 points to lead the winners.
Ahmad Ismail nailed 17 points and Ali Mahmoud notched 13 points for
the Lebanese team.
Boney Watson and
Hiram Fuller came up with 21 points apiece in a losing effort. Al
Riyadi remained at the top of preliminary Group A. They will take on
undefeated Al Rayyan in the fourth round. Zain will look for the initial
win when they face BK Almaty today.
Asia
Champions Cup. Day 2 - May. 10, 2008 Al Rayyan, Qatar -Zain, Jordan 90:85 OT
After triumph in 21st Arab Clubs Championship, Zain could not continue
their winning streak and lost the opener of Asia Champions Cup. In a
overtime battle Al Rayyan beat Zain 90:85. The team from Jordan
controlled the first half, but then failed in the last quarter.
Daoud Musa (193-G-82) led the winners with 27 points.
Eric Chatfield (191-G-79, college:
N.Mexico) nailed 25, while Darlon Johnson scored 14.
Zeid Abbas (203-C-83) top-scored for Zain with 25 points. Wesam
Alsoos netted 23 and Boney Wilson added 16.
Eric Chatfield, with eight assists and 25 points was named the MVP
of the game.
Zain took a control of the game after the teams exchanged the lad in the
very beginning. The team from Jordan had 18:15 and then increased to
40:33 at the half. Zain posted a 15-0 run towards the close of the
second quarter, capitalizing on Rayyans switchover from man to zone
defense.
Rayyan hit back with a 10-0 run at the start of the third quarter. It
was a fall for Zain that produced only 8 points in the period. Being
locked at 75 at the end of the fourth quarter, Rayyan held the edge as
Eric Chatfield called the shots in setting up the plays. Al Rayyan
wins the game and improves to 2-0 in Group A, while Zain will hope for
the next games.
Al Riyadi Beirut, Lebanon -MABU Hangtuah, Indonesia 79:44 26-6,
44-12, 56-21 Al Riyadi Beirut recorded their second win in
Group A decimating Indonesias MABU Hangtuah 79:44. Al Riyadi Beirut
smashed the opponent in the opening quarter 26:6 and never looked
behind. They increased to 44:12 after the first half and had 56:21
entering the last period.
El Khatib Fadi led the winners with 21 points, whilst
Fakhreddine Ali posted 16. Marquello Morgan was the only one to
reach double digits in defeat having 10 points.
Al Wasl, UAE -Saba Battery, Iran 116:100 2 OT
Al Wasl opened Asia Champions Cup in double-overtime thriller over Saba
Battery from Iran. Emirates club was confident in the first three
quarters, but then Saba Battery bounced back and tied the game after
four quarters. The second overtime was the last for the latter to
struggle as Al Wasl won the first game.
Courtney Fields (206-F-82, college:
Iona)
was unstoppable with 37 points.
Herve Lamizana (208-F/C-81, college:
Rutgers) and Ibrahim Ahmad nailed 21points apiece, while Rashid
Al-Zabi netted 18. Samad Nikkah led the way for Iran team with 29
points. Enyinn Mounike produced 28 points in defeat, whilst
Mehdi Kamrani (181-G-82, agency:
Huss Sport Agency) posted 20.
Al Wasl caught defending champions Saba Battery with their initial
onslaught to cause the first upset. Emirates club took the lead from the
very beginning and enjoyed 27:19 lead after the opening quarter. Another
spurt in the second stanza led to 49:34 when the teams disappeared in
the lockers. The lead was still increased for Al Wasl in the third
quarter and they saw plus 16 entering the last period. Saba pulled their
ranks together and began to fire back in the the fourth quarter, but
with Hamed Ehadadi struggling under foul trouble the efforts of Samad
Nikkah and Enyinn Mounike, well supported by
Mehdi Kamrani failed to seize the initiative.
It was the best game so far in Asia Champions Cup and both teams will
for sure deserve a top place.
Al Qadsia, Kuwait-ONGC, India 116:35
Al Qadsia beating Oil and Natural Gas Commission from India116:35. The
hosts dominated the court from the beginning until the end. It was an
easy win after the first loss in the tournament. Abdullah Al Saraf led
the winners with 26 points.
James Williams posted 16, whilst
Alpha Bangura (197-F/G-80, college:
St.John's) scored 12.
Trideep Rai (190-F-83) ended up with 12 points for Indian team.
Al Qadsia, Kuwait:Abdullah Al Saraf 26,
James Williams 16,
Alpha Bangura 12
ONGC, India:
Trideep Rai 12
Asia
Champions Cup. Day 1 - May. 9, 2008 Al Rayyan - MABU Hangtuah 92:48 Al Rayyan looked too good for Indonesian MABU Hangtuah in the
opening game of the Asia Champions Cup for both sides. They got into
preliminary Group A of the 19th edition of the prestigious tournament
held this year in Kuwait. The teams looked pretty well matched in the
starting frame however Al Rayyan still managed to clear off to a
12-point distance. The things started to brighten up for Qatar side in
the second period. American point guard
Eric Chatfield (191-G-79, college:
N.Mexico) orchestrated Al Rayyan offense well and Qatar team
gradually went ahead. Chatfield just returned to the team from Turkey
and joined the ranks smoothly. The former Asia Champions Cup title
holders ran away to a 23-point distance at halftime and controlled the
tempo afterwards. They held MABU Hangtuah to only 4 points in the third
stanza and never looked in the final term.
Daoud Musa (193-G-82) knocked down 25 points for Al Rayyan to be
trumped the games MVP.
Eric Chatfield compiled 18 points and 9 assists, while
Khalid Abdi scored 12 points for the winners.
Hapsak Putra (183-G/F-83) nailed 20 points for MABU Hangtuah in a
losing effort.
Al Riyadi - BK Almaty 100:52
Lebanese Al Riyadi got to an impressive start of their Asia
Champions Cup campaign in Kuwait. They routed Kazakhstan BK
Almaty to gain their first win at the competition. Both teams
were assigned into the preliminary Group A together with Zain
Club from Jordan, Al Rayyan from Qatar and Indonesian MABU
Hangtuah. Lebanese powerhouse opened the game in a high-flying
manner doing perfect defensive job limiting their opponents to 7
points. Al Riyadi held to a 21:7 lead after the first frame and
stretched the gap to as many as 31 points at halftime.
Fadi El Khatib (197-F-79, agency:
Pro Management Agency) and Joseph
Joe Vogel (211-C-73, agency:
Pro Management Agency, college:
Colorado St.) looked too good for Almaty defense at the
moment and paced the Beirut outfit to a confident success. BK
Almaty never threatened the margin after the long intermission.
Moreover Lebanese team piled up an insurmountable 51-point
buffer before the fourth team. They eased past hapless BK Almaty
in the fourth term to celebrate an impressive victory.
Ahmad Ismail (201-F-76) scored 21 points and was named the
games MVP.
Fadi El Khatib provided 17 points and 6 boards for the
winners.
Anton Kataev (201-F-84) and
Vladimir Gellert (202-F-81) answered with 12 points apiece
for Kazakhstan team in defeat. Al Riyadi will take on MABU
Hangtuah tomorrow. BK Almaty will have a bye round tomorrow.
Al Qadsia - SABA Battery 60:92
SABA Battery opened the Asia Champions Cup in Kuwait with a
confident victory 92:60 over the hosting Al Qadsia. Both
teams got into preliminary Group B for the 19th edition of
Asia Champion Cup together with Al Muharrak from Bahrain, Al
Wasl of UAE, Dehradoon from India. SABA Battery got to a
confident start thrashing the local favorites Al Qadsia. The
hosts got to an energetic start driven by a loud supportive
crowd. They tried to keep it aggressive defensively and were
well steered by their American import James Williams.
However SABA Batterys defense also adjusted pretty quickly
and held Al Qadsia in the box. The Iranian team jumped to a
22:6 lead after the starting frame. The gap kept on growing
as
Hamed Hadadi (218-C-85, agency:
Huss Sport Agency) dominated the paint for SABA. This
217cm centre is one of the most exciting players to watch
around Asia at the moment. The Iranian National team leader
pulled down rebounds, made steals and distribute the ball
well. He finished with 16 points, 10 boards and 5 assists
and his impact was well felt throughout the encounter. SABA
Battery cleared off to a 22-point distance at halftime. Al
Qadsia fought bravely but it was just not enough to surprise
the experienced Iranian team. SABA Battery coasted to an
overall victory in the second half and posted their first
win at the tournament. Nigerian import Enniyin Mounike led
all scorers with 21 points for SABA Battery. Samad Nikkah
contributed 17 points for the winners. James Williams
answered with 17 points for Al Qadsia.
Al Qadsia: James Williams 17 SABA Battery:
Gabe Muoneke (200-F-78, college:
Texas) 21, Samad Nikkah 17,
Hamed Hadadi 16+10 boards
Al Muharraq - Dehradoon 109:58 Bahrain powerhouse Al Muharraq won their
opening game at the Asia Champions Cup in Kuwait. They
overwhelmed Indias Dehradun in the preliminary Group B
of the tournament. Al Muharraq relied mainly on import
duo of
Donald Little (211-C-78, agency:
EM-PA, college:
Cincinnati) and
Rah-Shun Roberts (202-F-75, college:
California (PA)) in their race for the win. The
Bahrains outfit went on a 14:0 run and took over the
control. They rolled to a 29:8 lead after the starting
quarter and kept on mounting the pressure on their
counterparts. Al Muharraq built a 36-point advantage at
halftime and breezed past their opponents in the second
half. Al Muharraq fired 29 points in the third stanza
with the outcome pretty vivid as the gap grew to 51
points. The Austrian specialist
John Wojtak allowed the reserves to log some more
minutes in the final period.
Rah-Shun Roberts led all scorers with 23 points for
Al Muharraq.
Donald Little provided 18 points and 19 boards,
while Mohamed Al Thaqafi contributed 12 points for the
winning side.
Mukkanniyil Anoop (198-C-86) answered with 15 points
for Dehradoon. Mukesh Bhandari scored 12 points in a
loss. Dehradoon will next take on the hosting Al Qadsia
today. Al Muharraq will take on Al Qadsia on Saturday
following a bye-round today.
19th
Asian Clubs Championship Draw - Apr. 17, 2008
The
19th edition of the Asian Clubs Championship (Kuwait May 8-16) groups
draw were made in Kuwait City in Kuwait, 10 teams from 10 different
countries will play in the tournament which will be hosted by Al Qadsia
club for the 2nd time after the 17th edition in 2006...
# First round games: - 8th of May: * Group A:
Al Riyadi - Almaty
Al Rayyan - Satria * Group B:
Al Qadsia - Saba Battery
ONGC - Harbour Centre - 9th of May: * Group A:
Zain - Al Rayyan
Satria - Al Riyadi * Group B:
Al Qadsia - ONGC
Al Wasl - Saba Battery - 10th of May: * Group A:
Almaty - Satria
Zain - Al Riyadi * Group B:
Al Wasl - ONGC
Al Qadsia - Harbour Centre - 11th of May: * Group A:
Al Rayyan - Al Riyadi
Zain - Almaty * Group B:
Saba Battery - ONGC
Al Wasl - Harbour Centre - 12th of May: * Group A:
Satria - Zain
Almaty - Al Rayyan * Group B:
Al Qadsia - Al Wasl
Harbour Centre - Saba Battery
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