Muslim Basketball

Was not the prettiest of wins, but watching this game, I didn’t think Damascus scored 5 let alone 15 in the second half. Smothering defense and manhandling the boards got Islamabad the win. The scoring balance and the fact that it can come from anyone at any times makes this team very difficult to play. Oh, also Big O makes it even more difficult for opponents with his ability to score efficiently and effectively eliminate all second chance opportunities. They have a big time game with Mombasa coming up.

Mingo, Nick, and Hart continue to bring it, outscoring Lagos with just those three guys. One of the best shooting efficiency team and the most efficient from deep, they put an unbelievable amount of pressure on a defense because they hit from everywhere. They have Jakarta this week in what should be a pretty awesome matchup.

Took down Dhaka in a grinder. Both teams struggled to score the ball, but constant foul trouble left Dhaka out of sync. Big game on the boards from Daniel, Ive put together another solid contribution. They got the win, but how often does Farzad put up a donut? They might be for real, but they’ll be tested again this week against the top dogs. Rumor has it they will be sans Raza, that would be a tough task. Kind of have them at 3 because no one else has showed yet they belong up here.

They needed overtime twice to eek out a win against a pesky Baghdad squad who threw their best punch. They found just enough offense to whether the pour of Baghdad 3s. Their ability to get to the line was ultimately the difference in this one. It was only right that Moayad would get them the win in double OT by hitting 2 free throws to end it. Qasem is probably the best shooter on this team, but if they want to keep defenses from collapsing on the dribble drive, they’ll need to find a way to get Marwan in and shooting. As good as Moayad, Qasem, and Mana are, they need a catch and shoot option to spread it out.

Obviously Jon’s scoring ability jumps out when looking at Lahore, but they might be one of the better defensive teams in the league. They have guys that play both ends of the court and that was very clear against Mecca, a team whose offense should be potent. Jon and Herb will get theirs, but when you have a guy like Ahmad Saleh taking some attention away, that makes it even easier for your offense to run. They look like they have a solid recipe and will win a surprising amount of games.

The recipe is simple: play defense hard enough so Abdul can almost outscore the other team alone. Baskets from the rest of the team here or there will get them enough to win.

Early on it looked like they were on the ropes, about to be blown off the court. They struggled to get passed half court, couldn’t get the ball moving, and gave up easy baskets off of steals. Then, the defense kicked in, which made it easier to run their offense. They took down a really really solid team without arguably their best player. Big time growing moment - let’s see if they can keep the momentum.

They had Granda until they didn’t. It’s not easy trying to press for an entire 40 minutes. It worked while they did it, but they let off a bit and paid for it. Doesn’t help that Patrick shot 4/30, but I’m sure they’ll learn from it. As good as Patrick is, Mark seems like he’s the more versatile and dynamic of the two; I think they’re a better team with the ball in Mark’s hands. Regardless, they have some serious firepower and are a force to be reckoned with. I think they’ll let out their frustration against Damascus in a one sided affair.

Don’t get me wrong, Mombasa is a good team, but they aren’t the Mombasa of the past. This was a very self inflicted loss. Constant foul trouble for their bigs and ice cold shooting by Farzad left Dhaka in a bad spot against a defensively sound team. Salman got all he could handle from Daniel in a lopsided battle on the glass. Ali aaaaalmost got them the win at the end of the game, putting up a pretty good look from deep. I know they can flip the switch and I have no doubt in the 3 time defending champs, but maybe have the rest of the league caught up??

Good win against an above average squad. As good as Mujtaba is, his brother is really a difference maker. I felt all of last year that he was Mombasa’s X-Factor, that sentiment has not changed, it’s actually been confirmed. His aggressiveness separates him from the rest of the team - Muj is tremendous, but it seems like he plays pass first, Mo Masri is very solid in the catch and shoot and transition game, but Yousef is their best option in the iso-half court game. He finds ways to get to the rim and finish in traffic, he knocks down shots when defenders play off, and he gets himself to the line. He’s what can take this Jakarta team to the next level. They have a stretch against the best teams in the league, I wouldn’t be surprised if they come out of there unscathed.

Didn’t want to knock them down this far, but the teams that jumped them played much, MUCH better than Mecca did this week. I don’t know if perhaps the smaller court takes away the ability to spread and shoot, but at the same time, they look a bit too old to want to play of the bigger court. Lahore had much more energy than them, running their offense and getting back defensively while Mecca just looked flat out slow. I think they have a terrific shooting team, but their bigs are not the best movers, and Malik seems like the only guy with enough energy to run all game.

Got a much needed win after a bad week 1 performance. They looked much more comfortable than they did previously and Mo Amin looked like himself. Joe P and Cody give opposing guard fits, Mo and Joe Z tower under the hoop - not an easy group to score on.

Played with an edge which was very fun to watch. Threw punch after punch against one of the best teams in the league, unfortunately they got whistled against a bit too much. Faris, Rayyan, and Mo Ahmed hit clutch 3 after 3 to give them life. Fun group to watch, hopefully they keep this intensity up. 

Looked great in the first half, didn’t in the second. That’s the difference between them and the best team in the league.

Need to play with some more efficiency, but Khalied, Layth, and Raied can all score the ball. They have some promise.

Need more out of Michael and Rameez, but also need more out of everyone else. Hitting a couple 3s would’ve given them a very good chance to get this one.

Really like the Muhammad Turan pickup, he’s got grit and adds some much needed size to a perimeter oriented team.

Played another great team, but came up short again. Gave Beirut all they could handle. Ted can ball, but who will be his sidekick?

Didn’t see too much of their game due to the Baghdad Amman game being extremely entertaining. Luke appears to be a good player.

It’s the name.