Some of us may have taken an extra bye week (guilty), but we’re back and ready for Week 7 of the MB Summer Ball predictions.

Before we jump in, as always, let's keep our hearts and duas with the people of Palestine and all those across the Ummah facing hardship. May Allah grant them strength, victory, and relief.

Let’s get into some predictions !!

Jenin (1-5) vs Khan Yunis(3-3)

We kick off Week 7 with two teams in somewhat strange positions heading into the final stretch. On one hand, we have Jenin, a team I genuinely thought would be more promising this season. With a backcourt of Anas Najib and Ali Hassan, there was potential for a strong guard duo, but their games haven’t complemented each other the way many expected.
On the other side, we have a Khan Yunis squad that just can’t seem to get over the hump.
They’re starting to remind me a bit of Haifa—both teams have suffered tough, narrow losses in games they probably should have won.
Now let’s talk matchups. Musa is coming off yet another stellar performance, dropping a casual 38 and 17. He’s making the MVP conversation between him and Mahdy as tight as ever.

But outside of Big Moose, Khan Yunis hasn’t found a reliable second option on a weekly basis. Yahya had a solid showing last week, but we need to see more from Assaf and Moayad if this team wants to make any sort of playoff run, which they’re more than capable of doing.

As for Jenin, they definitely have the talent to keep this game competitive. But when you're statistically the worst defensive team in the league and you're going up against a top-3 offense, it’s hard to come in confidently expecting a win. I’m still waiting for a breakout game from their backcourt, but let’s be honest, Khan Yunis isn’t likely to give them the space to make that happen

Khan Yunis by 11


Jerusalem (0-6) Vs Haifa (2-4)

Finally, a game where Haifa didn’t blow a late lead or lose by 2–3 points. If there’s any team that needed a mid-season bye week to reset, it was this one. Coming off what was easily their best performance of the season on both ends of the floor, they got contributions from just about everyone. This is the version of Haifa we expected to see, and if they can build on that momentum, they could be dangerous down the stretch.
As for Jerusalem… I honestly don’t know what to say. They’re the only winless team left in the league, sitting at 0-6, and that record doesn’t match their talent. While they lack shooting, they’re arguably one of the biggest and most physical squads in the league. Even without Malik Zubi last week, they held their own, but some questionable decisions late in the game ended up costing them a potential first win.
No word yet on Malik’s availability this week, but Haifa will be getting Nabil back, which is a huge plus, especially considering the size advantage Jerusalem brings to the table.
Capone has quietly been on a nice stretch recently, and I expect Anas to step up his scoring this week as well. With that in mind, I’m rolling with Haifa to take this one and kick off a late-season win streak heading into the playoffs.


Haifa by 8


Sheikh Jarrah (1-5) Vs Nazareth (3-3)
Nazareth is a solid overall team with scoring availability at nearly every position.
This week, they’ll take on a Sheikh Jarrah squad that has been struggling to find consistency.
Jarrah didn’t look great in their last outing, Mahrooz had a decent game, but it’s hard to expect him to replicate the performance he had two weeks ago. Unfortunately for Jarrah, that might be exactly what they’ll need to stay competitive.
One of the biggest concerns for this team has been their lack of spacing, which is surprising considering they have capable shooters like Omar Hussein and Mo Masri. However, neither has been performing up to expectations this season, and the result has been a clogged offense that lacks rhythm and flow.
At the end of the day, I have to give this one to Nazareth. They’re simply the more complete and cohesive team. Unless Mahrooz completely takes over the game—and he is capable of doing that—it’s hard to see a scenario where Jarrah comes out on top.

Nazareth by 7

Gaza (5-1) vs Bir Seb’a (5-1)

Without question, our game of the week, with all due respect to the other squads.
Two 5-1 teams are going at it, with Bir Seb’a looking solid thanks to the addition of Shaz, and Gaza coming off their first loss of the season.
I expect this game to be high scoring, and for Mahdy to have a bounce-back game, not because he played badly, but because he was double-teamed for most of the last game.
Lil O and Ahmad will likely send doubles his way again and force others to beat them, which we saw was effective last week.
At the end of the day, both teams have a lot of offensive star power, but this game is going to come down to which role players step up. I have to say, I didn’t like the performance Gaza gave us last week — and it won’t get any easier this time around. I have them taking their second straight loss of the season. Lil O, Ahmad, and Shaz will just be too much for Gaza to handle.

Bir Seb’a by 5

Rafah (4-2) Vs Deir Al-Balah (5-1)

I know I called the last matchup the Game of the Week, but this one is easily a close second.
Rafah has completely turned their season around after what looked like an early white flag. Even without Zubidi and Hassan last week, they managed to pull off their fourth straight win, thanks in large part to Michael K's big performance.
I’m not sure what’s going on with Hassan—whether it’s an injury or something else- but Rafah looked sharp last week regardless. If they’re still without him and Zubidi, I do expect Michael to be back again and leading the charge.
They’ll be going up against Al-Balah, the best defensive team in the league. That said, their offense has taken a bit of a dip over the last three weeks. I gave Ehsan his flowers a couple of weeks back, but he hasn’t looked the same since. Mana has continued to do his thing, and guys like Elias and Amir Hassan have been solid overall. Hopefully, they bring a stronger offensive showing this week, because this one has the potential to be a fun one.
Whether Hassan and Zubidi suit up or not, as long as Rafah has both of them or Michael K, I still see them pulling this one out. It’ll be close, but right now, they’re the hottest team in the league.

Rafah by 3

Safad (1-5) Vs Baysan (5-1)

Arguably the #1 team in the league right now—especially after last week’s performance, Baysan is coming off their best win of the season thanks to major performances from Aadil, Mo Rayyan, and Adeeb. They didn’t just show out offensively, but also held what was considered the best squad at the time to a season-low in points. So props to them on both ends of the floor.
This week, they’ll be facing a Safad team that honestly doesn’t seem to have a clear identity. The trades they made around the deadline are starting to haunt them, as this squad no longer has a true primary ball handler. Ironically, when they did have one, he asked for a secondary ball handler—and instead, they gave him the AD treatment and shipped him out.
Now look, never say never. Anything can happen in the game of basketball, especially in MB. But for Safad to win this one, they’re going to have to play the absolute best game of their lives.
That said, I don’t see it happening. I’m rolling with Baysan, and I feel confident doing so.

Baysan by 14

Areeha (4-2) vs Yaffa (3-3)

Areeha started the season off strong. After losing Muj, many, including myself, didn’t expect them to be in the position they’re in today, so props to them for proving us wrong. That being said, they’re currently on a two-game losing streak, which has a lot to do with finally facing some of the league’s better teams.
This week, they’ll take on a streaky Yaffa squad that’s floated in the middle tier for most of the season. Amir has been on a nice run, Deeb is coming off a Player of the Week award, and Gub has been a steady presence all season. They’re a fun team to watch, unselfish, disciplined, and full of guys you’d love to have as teammates.
The big question for Areeha is: who steps up in crunch time? Lately, the ball has been in Nick and Fursan’s hands, but their shooting splits haven’t been great. They were down to just five players last game, and the decision not to find a replacement for Muj by Week 7 is starting to look questionable.
Yaffa, meanwhile, has yet to string together back-to-back wins or losses. They’re currently riding a one-game win streak, and I believe this is the week they finally break that pattern.
Areeha takes another tough loss, drops their third straight, and slips further in the standings, while Yaffa breaks the inconsistency trend that’s followed them all season.

Yaffa by 7


With that being said, another week of predictions is in the books. See everyone next!! Almost playoff time!
As always :
#OpenTheVault
#StriveForAchiness