Here are the results from tonight's games:

Jakarta defeats Islamabad-
Behind guest Ali Omar, gave Islamabad another loss

Istanbul defeats Tripoli-
Tripoli wasn't able to make this a close one as Faraz and Maher were both out. Ali exploded for 29 and Joe Brought down 27 Boards!!!!

Dhaka defeats Jerusalem-
With Guest Rajab Abbassi playing for them, Dhaka was able to maintain control throughout

Kazan defeats Damascus-
Behind guest Larry Burroughs 29 points, Kazan took this one in a comeback over Damascus

Baghdad defeats Lagos-
With Fernando out, but Mujtaba guesting for Lagos, Baghdad defeated them in a close one to take the top seed in D2

Sana'a defeats Timbuktu-
Along with their Newest addition Mustafa Abbassi, Sana'a was able to hold Timbuktu to 7 points in the first half, and win the game.

Post Your game recaps below:

Damascus vs Kazan:

To make a long story short, Damascus had the lead at the end of the game and pulled a Game 2 Lakers vs OKC. Costly turnovers and bad shots quickly diminished the lead and ultimately lead to a loss.

Now a quick break down:

- Chris and J did their thing, no real issues there

- Adham could not buy a shot, shooting only 2-8 from 3's and 2-11 overall after coming off an 8-14 shooting night last week, all of those shots from beyond the arc

- we picked up a bunch of early fouls, refs were calling EVERYTHING in the first half it was ridiculous, one sequence lead to 4 straight free throws at the end of the half due to a tech, we eventually had to talk to them and in the second half they let us actually play

- Kazan was missing Anthony due to injury, instead of trying to win with their real squad, in which they did have enough players and even subs, they instead went out and got a player who's even better then Anthony, he scored half of the teams points (29) and grabbed 18 boards, we simply could not box him out, 95% of his points were tap-ins and the rest were fast break layups


I'm not complaining or anything, I mean a loss is a loss and we still should have won. But I really think the league needs to sit down and go back to the drawing board regarding guest passes and what's allowed and what isn't. There needs to be some limitations or guide-lines. It can't just be fully wide open the way it is now. It's not fair to bring in a guest that changes the entire team, not only that but actually changes them for the better. A guest should only be brought in when a team really needs one, like when they have less then 5 players and don't have enough to even play. Then it's understandable. Especially when the opposing team was preparing all week for the game and then all that has to be thrown out the window since they are now playing a completely different team.

I really think the league should look into this. Too many times this season, teams have either lost or had games that were closer then they should have been because of a guest that didn't even need to be there or shouldn't have been there. What's the point of spending all off-season working hard on making a roster and a complete team just to have other teams add guests all season. It's not fair to those captains who actually try and make a real team during the off-season.

In the end, does it really matter in terms of winning it all? Not really. But still, it is very annoying to come to a game expecting to play the team with the roster you see online when it ends up being a completely different one.

Edited by user Friday, May 18, 2012 12:45:06 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Shareef... Adham wasn't saying the guest pass is unfair because that kid was too good... nobody thinks he was too good, he out hustled us and out rebounded us and we didnt box him out, your right. When i first joined the league a few years ago in 2009, the guest pass was a rarely used thing, it was to avoid 5 on 4 situations, or forfeits... but the way its being used now is.. "damn the team were playing this week is really good, lets bring a ringer so we can beat them, even though we already have 15 players coming." Listen i dont mind it anyways, im just clarifying adhams point which makes sense... for me it makes no difference because a teams true identity will come out in the playoffs... Also, about chris and J on our team, the difference is that theyre on our roster, everyone sees them, knows them, and prepares for them... adhams post was saying that its annoying when we prepare for one player all week, with a specific game plan, then come in to find a completely different player, the guest pass is fine, but maybe the limitations on it being used can be tweaked a little bit.

just play ball fellas....enough complaining already...

Lol trust me bro we're not complaining. It's something we're bringing up to the whole league, your team just happened to be the latest example and the one used in this thread. There are other teams that abuse it too.

Don't know why you are coming out of no where attacking me.. but I will do my best to address everything you just said.

King of bringing ringers? ... The only team I captain is my D2 team. We haven't guested anyone as of yet, so I don't know what you are talking about. I didn't touch this topic...I said nothing about it? All I said was you acted like you won the game with your demeanor when all you really did was bring a guest.

Since you want to bring it up lets talk about how you picked up Eric Sylvester and failed to mention to Andre he was a former D3 Player and described his experience as having "only pickup ball experience" LOL ... (good luck trying to pick up anyone on any future team you are on). Then you try to pickup Styles on your D2 team and complain why captains aren't allowing your pickups. At least when I pick up people I am straightforward with their experience, even with Chris I sent in his HS career stats, because SOMEONE began a rumor that Chris was ranked 12th player in NJ .... So i could drop him from my roster.

What you used to do to me at LA fitness? lool no I don't recall... let alone recall last I have seen you in Wayne LAF. Regardless, please tell me you are not using Pickup Basketball as means of credibility/bragging rights haha, cmon man.

Anthony, I may not be doing squat on the teams I am on right now, because most of the time I don't need to do much and I am a supporting Guard on both teams. I can promise you, I can do more with 20 shots then you have in your entire career. I am not first option on both teams I am on.... but you know what lets bring up a season where I was top (2nd/3rd) option ya know just so I am not shooting in the wind...

D1 Summer 2011 : http://www.muslimbasketb...p;division=1&team=93

I shot 84 shots that season total (9 shots per game). 60% FG and 50% 3 PT FG.

You are currently averaging 23 shots per game combined for both leagues (216 shots) 34% FG and 29% 3 PT FG.

Numbers are facts, and they speak for themselves.

I don't know why I "aggravated" you when I did absolutely nothing unsportsmanlike to you or your team. In fact you were the one who conducted yourself poorly after a win. I shook everyone's hand on Kazan and said good win, I never said anything about you cheering your team on. What did you do? Hobble your way near our bench after the win and stare it down... How exactly do you give your team a scouting report staring down the opposing teams bench after a win? Let me know, I would love to know how that works, it sounds efficient.

Edited by user Sunday, May 20, 2012 12:31:12 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

All good, I shouldn't have only mentioned your team because now you think this is about you and your team only when it's not. This is a problem with the whole league. Had we played Ed's team and he did that to us then the topic would have mentioned Ed's team.

Anyway, no need to keep going back and forth on this, all of my points were already made. Good luck to your team and we'll see you in the playoffs.

"when we played them we both agreed we weren't going to bring any guest so what does he do?/ bring 2 d1 guest and we get blown out..."

just to clarify, that was my decision not ed's. me and anthony did agree to use our true teams, however, we lost 3 players that day and were down to 4. i don't know many people to ask to play, so i asked 2 people i knew. matt and farhad. i asked both of them to take it easy and they did. farhad only had 8 points. i think matt had 8 also. i did apologize to my friends samir and anthony afterwards, they understood and we got past it.

guests are guests. they are there temporary. if a team brings ringers to beat other teams, nobody respects their win. it's all fun and games until the playoffs anyway.

Edited by user Sunday, May 20, 2012 9:13:21 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

either way like you said you were 2-11 and i remember chris h missin some layups and put backs and larry the guest was no where near the play if some of those shots wouldve went in you guys couldve won we only one by 7 larry didnt play defense by himself it was a team effort and even on offense other guys on the team made key baskets and like you said i hope we play each other first im looking forward to it

That's funny because during my whole existence in MB, I never have rubbed anyone the wrong way, I wasn't even in the same division as you last season. If I did, please clarify how and when I have, and forgive me in advance. I never played in 2008, the stats I pulled up were from 2011 (last year). The stats I am comparing with yours was when I was top scoring option (same role as you), just as you are now and have been since you have started playing in the league. The competition has been more or less the same, year in and year out. If you want to discredit my performance last year because of "very weak competition" how about your performance in D2 last season? LA Fitness pickup games are more competitive then D2 last season. That was the weakest competition we have ever had in MB, you put up 326 shots season total. That's 32 shots per game 38.7% FG and 29% 3 Point FG, just stating facts.

Anyway, I never discredited Kazan's win on Thursday. It was a good win, even if they did bring two guests. I never complained once in this whole thread about you abusing guest passes, so I really don't know why you keep bringing it up. Bring Kobe for all I care, at the end of the day guests won't be there for playoffs. It was hard fought and Kazan outhustled us in the end.

Edited by user Sunday, May 20, 2012 11:53:32 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified