Muslim Basketball

Need another reason to put Husan Zakir at the top of your MVP ballot? This game might be all the evidence you need. Husan exploded for 31 points, drilled 7-of-14 from deep, grabbed 7 rebounds, and swiped 4 steals in yet another masterclass. He's putting together a season that won't soon be forgotten. This was a statement win for Damascus against a Delhi team that has surprised everyone this season. If Damascus continues to space the floor and lock teams down defensively behind Abdoul and Mohamed Amin, they're going to be an incredibly tough out in the playoffs. And if there's one thing we know, it's that Iyaad has his eyes set on gold this year.

Four players. One hundred points.

Jerusalem's quartet of Big Moose, Ehsan Popal, and the Shah brothers combined for a league-high 100 points in another offensive showcase. Averaging 66.5 points per game, Jerusalem continues to establish itself as the league's most explosive offense. Ehsan Popal erupted for 39 points, looking completely back in rhythm from beyond the arc. Reigning MIP Ishaq continues to embrace a larger role, while Big Moose and Ismail remain dominant on both ends of the floor. Another Finals appearance is clearly the goal—and this group looks determined to get there.

Even without Mahrooz, Ameer, and Shafic, Mombasa handled business with ease.The biggest positive wasn't just the win—it was seeing role players step into bigger roles before the playoffs. Omar Elnajjar and Zia Siddiqui combined for 37 points, shooting efficiently while making the most of their extra opportunities. Captain Farhan was surely pleased with the performance...and chipped in 6 points and 6 rebounds himself. Player-coach? More like player-coach-legend.

Delhi came up just short against Damascus in one of the best games of the season. Abdul-Ghanee was sensational yet again, pouring in 30 points and 8 rebounds on an efficient 12-for-20 shooting day. Samy Lazark added 11 points while creating great opportunities for his teammates. The difference? Three-point shooting. Delhi simply couldn't cool off Husan Zakir, whose hot hand proved to be the deciding factor. Nearly every other aspect of the game was neck-and-neck, but Damascus knocked down the extra shots when it mattered most.

After a heartbreaking loss to Istanbul last week, Granada bounced back with a gritty win over the talented Kabul squad. The spotlight belongs to Mr. Clutch himself, Omar Abbassi, who carried the offense with 32 points. Ibraheem Sharaf chipped in 17 points and looked much more like the player we've seen in previous seasons. Towfeek and Omar continue to lead the charge, but Granada will need contributions from everyone around them if they want to make a deep playoff run. The return of Big O should only make them even more dangerous.

Kabul let this one slip away down the stretch. Turnovers were the biggest culprit. Fourteen giveaways and foul trouble cost them valuable possessions in a game that could have gone either way. Akshay continued his stellar season with 23 points, while Hisham Ali knocked down shots on his way to 17 points. The talent is there. If Kabul cleans up the little things, they'll have every opportunity to finish the regular season strong and head into the playoffs with serious momentum.

Gaza picked up its first win without Mattias, and Sami Butt made sure everyone noticed. Sami exploded for 33 points, further strengthening his case in the Most Improved Player conversation. With their superstar sidelined, he has embraced the role of primary scorer. If Gaza can improve its availability and continue getting players to embrace their roles, this is a team capable of making plenty of noise down the stretch.

Islamabad wasted no time taking control against Cairo, building a commanding first-half lead behind Jamall, Omar Hussein, Omar Khan, and the interior presence of Aymen. More importantly, the game seemed to answer some lingering questions about team roles. Jamall scored 22 points while shooting 65% from the field and showed exactly why the offense runs best with the ball in his hands.

A forfeit win is still a win.

Congrats Elton!

This was always going to be a difficult matchup, especially without Ahmed Kasana. Anyone who's played with just five players knows how exhausting those games become. Istanbul fought hard, with Usama Ahmed and Dorian both putting together strong performances, but without their anchor in the paint, the game gradually slipped away. With Kasana available, it's fair to say this one could have looked very different. 

Credit to Cairo for battling until the final whistle despite missing Alex Lorenzo. Mustafa Brown led the way with 19 points, while Musaab Mahmoud added 13 in what was a much-improved collective offensive showing compared to Week 6. Even in defeat, there were plenty of positives to build on.

Facing playoff elimination, Amman suited up with just four players to take on a Jerusalem squad that also only had four available. Sitting at 1-6, this isn't the season anyone envisioned for Amman, but every season brings its own challenges. With only a few weeks remaining, they'll be hoping to finally get everyone together and build some momentum before Round 1.

The result against Mombasa was about what many expected, but Lahore never stopped competing. Even with Mombasa missing Mahrooz, Ameer, and Shafic, Lahore was unable to take the lead at any point during the game. Gabriel once again stood out, leading the way with 20 points and 6 rebounds in another strong performance. It's hard not to wonder how different this team could look with a consistent big man anchoring the paint, but that's been a familiar storyline for several teams around the league this season.