No more excuses! Game 5 is tomorrow, our teams are coming into form, so, "Let's Riiide".

7:00 PM
Lagos (Black) @ Kashgar (White) :
This could be one heck of a game. Both teams are in their own respective slumps, looking to get on track to be ready for the playoffs. I think Lagos will really push the pace in this one though. They have the talent to do it and mix that with their mustered-up frustration, Kashgar's defense needs to be ready for a dogfight. Kashgar has their own talented players that are certainly capable, and with a lot of the attention going down low, expect many shot attempts from Malik and Amir. Two snipers hitting their shots is another scary sight. Though I do have to say defensively, I'm not sure Kashgar would be able to keep up with Lagos' backcourt. There aren't two guards on this Kashgar squad that can match up with the likes of Shaz and Singer. I'm expecting a big game from the plentiful Lagos backcourt.
Lagos by 6.

8:00 PM
Dhaka (Black) @ Damascus (White) :
This far into the season, it has become difficult to expect much from this Dhaka squad. Now up against the likes of an impressive Damascus team, there isn't much light at the end of the tunnel for Dhaka. Due to the simplicity of the general game's prediction, I'll delve into some more detailed predictions. I don't believe Yaqob will have his way in this one with the presence of Mana, so expect a quieter game out of him. This leaves all the opportunity to Yo Shah, Sal, Mustafa Brown, Elias, and Farhad. Let's see how Damascus can tailor their game to that of their guards, and how they can use that to their advantage moving forward. Now I know Dhaka almost seems hopeless, but no team goes out without a fight. I think this team will use these last 3 games to: one, figure out their defensive schemes being that their guards aren't the greatest in that aspect, and two, really get some understanding of how Towfeek, Ed, and Mana can co-exist on the same court. The first of the two is a week-to-week kind of thing, but I expect some light to shine regarding the second expectation starting this week. I'm expecting a season-high out of Towfeek here in week 5.
Damascus by 16.

9:00 PM
Kabul (Black) @ Jerusalem (White) :
Another fairly easy game to predict. Have not heard anything regarding the status of Ali Hassan, whether he's well enough to play, or if they've gotten a replacement. Nonetheless, again Jerusalem has the personnel to match up perfectly against this potentially explosive Kabul offense. Not to say I lost hope in Shafic by this point, but I think we all expected a bit more from him. I know it's risky saying this the week I play him, but I love the fire and competition, so bring that fire Shafic, we'll be ready for it. You know, I might just use this space to fire up this Kabul squad. We saw Mo Mustafa really turning it on last week, so it's kind of a bummer that flame will be put out this week, and the same goes for Elias S. We all know Sadat to be a great facilitator, but look for him to break the record in turnovers this week, as opposed to his standing assist record. Ali Omari took a break last week on load management, so hopping right back in against the peskiest team in the league has probably been chewing at him in his sleep for the past few nights, so expect a dud performance from him. If I haven't made it clear enough, we want the smoke Kabul, bring it, or be left in the dust. Offensively, Jerusalem will have their way, Aadil will push the ball in transition, and Farhad is just a menace down low when the team needs him to be.
Jerusalem by 13.

10:00 PM
Islamabad (Black) @ Sana'a (White) :
Iiiiiit's TIIIMMME, for the main event of the evening, so let's get ready to rumblllllllle!!! Our only two undefeated teams going head-to-head, it doesn't get much better than this. The spotlight here will be on Abdelhadi and Zain, as it should be. Both players will dictate the performance their team plays at. As for the matchup, it will be tough for either to handle one another, but I do think Abdelhadi has the edge in terms of total efficiency and pace. Though Zain has the advantage in terms of facilitation and opportunity elsewhere, that's what I think it'll come down to. I know I said something similar last week regarding the Islamabad strategy, and though it held some truth, I did underestimate Zain to some extent. This time, it's more so that the playmaker in Zain will shine through alongside his ability to create for himself. Now let me type out a disclaimer, if Billal A was playing in this game, I would undoubtedly vote in favor of Sana'a as he would pose a major defensive advantage, as well as a major offensive threat. He won't be there though, so I'm expecting a monster game from Kareem and Mo Masri, not so much because I believe in them, but more so that their team needs them to. The defensive prowess outside of Zain and Salim on Islamabad isn't too intimidating, so Kareem, Masri, and Jehad should have tons of great opportunities offensively. The more I type, the more I want to say, so although the spotlight is on our first and second MVP candidates, in a game like this, their supporting casts will be the deciding factors. That leads me to the ultimate question: Does the defense of Sana'a really step into their own and shut down the Islamabad supporting cast, or does Sana'a's supporting cast fail in supporting Mo Abdelhadi get buckets? The first situation would result in a Sana'a win, the second would result in an Islamabad win. With that written down now, it seems the result is in the hands of Sana'a, though I would still like to dig a bit deeper. That earlier part of that question means Diya, Jehad, Kareem, and Ramzy will really need to step up defensively, and being that they're all great defenders, I like those odds. Though I do not think anyone of those four can really stop the likes of Amir, not to discount Splash or Idris, but if they're defended correctly, they can be non-factors (Use this as some motivational juice! Prove me wrong!). Now, on the other hand, either Jehad or Kareem will be guarded by Salim, who can really slow either down, but the other will be left with a much easier matchup they can exploit. The more and more I ramble, the more I want to leave it at, "It seems the game is in your hands Sana'a, make it or break it," so, I will. Sorry for the essay, I had fun typing it lol.
Sana'a by 1.

As always, please don't be offended by anything I've said, it's all for the fun of the competition. Let's have a great week 5 gentlemen! Post your picks on PICK'EM at https://muslimbasketball.org/pickem/