Muslim Basketball

Between injuries and suspension, it just never seemed like Dhaka was able to hit their stride late in the season. After a hot start, they lost 3 of 4 games to championship level competition. They showed us last year that they turn up in the playoffs – it hasn’t been Farzad’s best season, but I have no doubt that he will take it upon himself to lead the defending champions and give his squad every chance to make it two straight. First round shouldn’t be much trouble, but then it may get interesting when they would face Kazan or Granada. If Farzad plays like he did last postseason, Dhaka will be go very deep, if not, they may be somewhat vulnerable.

Huge game from Ameer, who scored 20+ for the second time in his MB career. They still do not look like the Dhaka of the playoffs last season, but they hit their stride in the postseason. Last spring, they won two straight to end the regular season, then ripped off four in the playoffs to get the crown. Would not be surprised if history repeats itself…

Did not expect Dhaka to lose three games this season. They’ve been struggling mightily, as of late. The lack of size, other than for Salman, seems to be an issue. They had a hard time keeping Mo Amin off the glass and could not stop Raied’s driving. There should be some concern, but they are still a top 2 team. If should be mentioned though, that they were without Ali, a major contributor and a guy who helps distribute and strecht the floor. They’ll have a physical game against Jakarta next week. If they can keep Jakarta off the boards and expose a terrific defense, they’ll be able to knock off a great team and get back on track.

Their margin of superiority has dwindled, nonetheless, they are still the best team in the league. Unfortunately for them, they caught a Mecca team who NEEDED this game and they themselves struggled to shoot. Farzad’s performance was definitely a bright spot in the loss, as he had his best game of the year, dropping 27 while shooting a terrific 5/6 from deep. He’ll need some help from the other guys though. It is difficult to win when your 3 complementary guys shoot 7/29 and your big is held to 4 points. I’m sure that they are beyond confident that they can play at a significantly higher level to end the regular season and defend their title. They have three respectable opponents left on their schedule – they’ll have a chance to reestablish themselves as the clear favorites.

Bounced back after their first loss of the season against a very good Alexandria squad. Held the Masri brothers to 9 total points, and if it wasn’t for Hasan’s 19 points, this game would have decided by much more than 4. Good news is Fahad is back and Ali returned after serving his one-game suspension. Bad news is that they continue to struggle shooting the ball, just connecting on 18 of 50 field goal attempts, while missing 15 of 18 attempts from deep. Fortunately for them, they out rebounded Alexandria significantly, limiting their opponent’s possessions. They are still up and above the other 15 teams in this league, but they will need to knock down more shots if they look to repeat. They’ll be playing Mecca this week, don’t expect Anas Zubi to have another quiet game. It will take all five guys on the floor to stop the potent Mecca attack.

Missing two of their starters, a lot of pressure was put on Ameer and Farzad to produce against a terrific team. Unfortunately, they both struggled mightily, combining to shoot 4/30 from the field. Salman had a solid game, but the lack of depth and Lahore’s rekindled ability to run the floor and exploit defenses in transition left Dhaka in the dust. I have to give them a pass – Ali served his suspension and will return next week, while Fahad still remains sidelined with an ankle injury. My sources tell me that he should be ready for next week – we’ll see what happens. I don’t expect Farzad to struggle like this again this season, Ali will be back next week, and Fahad should be returning soon. They’ll pick up right where they left off. They have a very tough schedule remaining – Dhaka takes on a hot Alexandria team who has only dropped a single game thi

Really not sure what’s left to be said of this team. They are the best. They will continue to be the best until someone can figure out how to stop each individual man on the court. You think you shut down Salman, but Ammer goes and has an extremely efficient double double. You keep Ali and Farzad at a combined 25% from the field, but Farzad finds a way to convert 9 of 11 free throw attempts and finish with a respectable 16 points. They did not even play that well (not a knock on them, Amman has some terrific defenders) but they still find a way to make their wins look easy. They irritated Amman with some full court transition passing and extremely tight defense. I want to say that they’ll be tested by Lahore next week, but if Fahad is healthy (not sure what the status on his ankle is) they’ll be able to handle Lahore. If it hasn’t shown already, I love everything about this team and I will continue to exude my affection until they show me otherwise.

Started the game off without Farzad…didn’t matter at all. This team has continued to improve regardless of who attends. Ali has become a force in this league and continues to challenge defenses with his athleticism and shooting ability. Unfortunately for Dhaka, it appeared that Fahad went down with some sort of lower leg injury (probably ankle?). In a season that has been pretty much a cakewalk for this bunch, they will need Ammar, Mairaj, or Omar to step up if Fahad misses any significant time. With Fahad, I just cannot see Dhaka losing a game. Without Fahad, they may face a challenge or two.

Another game, another dominant win. Took over a half of play for Dhaka to seal the victory, getting valuable contributions from Ali, Ameer, Fahad, Farzad, and Salman. Very well balanced game from the defending champs. They’re taking care of business as an entire unit, they lead the league in PPG and are second in FG Percentage. They have yet to be challenged, but it is more than obvious that it is Dhaka….and everyone else. They take on a young Damascus squad next week, then the beef of their schedule arrives.

The defending champs took care of business, in what was a much less competitive game than anticipated. Fahad led them with 20 points, Ameer added 15 points and 11 boards, while Salman continued to do his thing down low, grabbing 19 rebounds. Quiet game for Farzad, but when he gets hot and if he can get this kind of offensive help going forward…yikes. They will take on a Tehran squad next week – this one could get ugly in a hurry. Let the league be warned yet again, Dhaka is still the team to beat and they are distancing themselves from the rest of the herd. 

 The Spring ’16 Champs bring back their squad ready to defend their title. Last season we witnessed the emergence of both Salman and Farzad, which may have only been the start of something special. They have built a team with a tremendous scorer, a big man who is efficient on both ends of the floor, and a group of terrific complementary players (Salman, Ali, Ameer, and Fahad). They have a championship under their belt and should have the opportunity to compete for another one.