Muslim Basketball

It’s very tough to have Kazan ranked this low, but it just kind of played its self out this way. I think if they had a valiant showing against Dhaka they may be ranked higher, but that should not take away from the overall season they had. After week 8, it looked like they could be the potential 1 seed going into the playoffs, unfortunately they fell to 8, but I know they are chomping at the bit to avenge a week 9 loss against Granada. This has the potential to be a very close, physical, and chippy game – it is by far the hardest game to pick in round 1.

Offensively, they weren’t as bad as 35% shooting would lead one to believe. They just struggled to defend for the entirety of the game. They should not stop Granada’s transition game, they could not keep Shadi off the boards, and had their pockets picked a few times too much. Their six-game winning streak was snapped, but they can start a fresh one and make a run for the title. They’ll be challenged by a Dhaka squad that does not know how to lose as this time of the year.

Between Mark and Frank^2, they have a legitimate big three that has proven they can reek havoc against any level of competition. Their only flaw may be a lack of a true big man, but they’ve taken down the like of Mombasa and Weiss, Istanbul and Muhammed Turan, Fez and Jason Weiss, and now maybe the best big man in this league, Omar Mana. They surrendered a monster 10pt 20rb game to Mana, but they made him earn if. If they can continue to have 3 guys with 15+ points and defensively make big men work hard, they will have a chance to win it all. Just like Jakarta, they end the season with Granada and then a finale with the defending champs. If they end the season 8-2, they will be the favorites going into the playoffs.

The league has been warned. This team is not a fallacy, they appear to be the real deal. This dude Mark Oliver is a legitimate playmaker in this league and he’ll continue to give defenses problems as we head into the playoffs. 23 points and 15 rebounds is a dominant game for a front court player, but for a perimeter player to have that kind of impact on the boards, it is extremely advantageous for his squad. He is a top-three scorer, top-twenty rebounder, and top-ten in assists. His name needs to circulate a little bit more in the MVP race and this teams needs the respect they have earned. If it wasn’t for two losses by a combined 3 points to start the year, they would be flirting with perfection. They too finish their season against three solid teams. Kazan takes on Amman, followed by Granada, then they end the season with the defending champs.

Eked out a win against a one-win Suba squad. Not the best way to beat a bottom two team, but a win is a win. Mark has been a very underrated scorer on a very underrated team. He’s 6th in the league in PPG, averaging 15.3 per contest. We’ll learn a significant amount about this team in the coming weeks – they take on Mombasa and end the season with Dhaka.

If it wasn’t for some very good free throw shooting, they may not have escaped with this one. They were able to weather the storm brought by Jason Weiss, keep a pretty good shooter in Ed 0/8 from deep, and dominate the boards. A win is a win, but going 0/16 from three and shooting under 30% from the field is not a recipe for success. They continue to show that they can win games, but they’ll be tested in two weeks when they take on Mombasa.

Back to back respectable wins for this group who looks like they’re finding their stride. Good game from Frank who was able to cash in on 75% of his trips to the line. Mark, who has quietly been averaging 16 points per game, also had a solid game, adding 16 points and 8 rebounds to help defeat a good Istanbul team. I will keep my eye on these guys, haven’t a chance to watch too much of their games, but look out for them to make some noise later. They have 2 winnable games followed by a week 7 matchup with Mombasa. I want to put them higher than 11, but I cannot, yet.

Got their first win under their belt, now where will they go? Solid game all around from these guys, everyone found a way to make some sort of contribution. They’ll need that and more to beat some better teams. Gave Lahore all they could handle last week, so this team should not be taken lightly. Istanbul will test them next week.

Gave Lahore all they could handle. Frank O. and Mark have been the bright spots two games into the season. They have some favorable matchups looming – look for them to turn the tide and get a couple wins. Middle of the pack in most statistical categories and lost both games by a combined 3 points. Unfortunate loss in week 1, but brought the necessary effort and intensity to compete with Lahore. If they can play like they did against Lahore, they’ll win a handful of games.

Unfortunate loss in a close game. Mark Oliver displayed his scoring prowess, leading Kazan with 20 points. Got out rebounded and could not capitalize on a +10 turnover margin. Frank Ozoria shot a low percentage, as did the rest of the team. If they can find a way to score some more points off of the turnovers they force, they can become more dangerous. For now, they are a bottom third team. Fortunately for them, they have a chance to quickly rise with a matchup against Lahore lurking.

 Couple D1 guys making the move down to D2. Frank O. and Mark can score, Frank T. can defend. Another team we’ll just have to wait and see what they can do.