Muslim Basketball

Their game vs Tiberias was closer than anyone expected. Even though they seem to have the game under control all the way, Tiberias was within striking distance till the end. They continue to beat their opponents with their size but it will be interesting to see how they manage against bigger teams if Monim can't get his stroke back. There were some uncharacteristic turnovers and their 3 point shooting was horrendous, going just 2 for 20. They will end the season vs Nazareth and first place potentially on the line.

Coming off an absolute 67-22 thrashing of Ramallah, this team has solidified itself as the one to beat. They sit at the top with no current equal in sight. There were some concerns of David Barber's role on a team that already featured the likes of Andy and Abdul W. They have won 3 out of 4 since his return, with the only loss being to Ramallah when the team was missing Andy, Abdul W and Saad Afzal. They seem to be a lock for the finals, but let's see how they fair against some of the bigger teams like Nazareth.

Sheikh Jarrah deservedly stays at #1 this week after an impressive performance in week 4. David Barber's debut was about exactly what we had been hoping for, he got to the free throw line, and grabbed 11 rebounds, his impact was felt. I have to give a shout-out to L who had a season-high 19 which definitely propelled them today. This team is good, great even, and for that reason they'll continue winning and staying at 1 if they keep playing like this. 

Sheikh Jarrah took their second win in week 3 as they rolled over Nazareth in the last couple of minutes. The score doesn't exactly reflect performance on this one but, here's the fact. Without the talent of David Barber, Sheikh Jarrah has looked great through 3 weeks. A week 1 loss to Lod has been their only downfall, and honestly, half of their guys were jet-lagged from Umrah so, I'm giving them a pass. Monim Khan continues his career year with a 19-point performance and Abdul W. brought down a whopping 15 rebounds. I think this team is a bit underrated right now, but for me, they sit atop this week's Power Rankings.

Shiekh Jarrah took their first loss in week 1 to #1 seeded Lod. It's hard to drop them any lower after their performance though. Clearly the issue through 2 weeks has been Abdul-Wahdud's commitment. When he's there, this team is firing on all cylinders and don't forget, they're still missing key big man David B.. They got down early in this one, but in the second half, with help from Abdul, they actually took the lead for a little. Unfortunately, they ended up losing by 3, but, they showed some great resilience and mental fortitude in the comeback. I still think this is a great team with a ton of potential, their performance this week keeps them at 2. Key contributions from Abdul-Wahdud and Andy C..

Shiekh Jarrah had a great showing in week 1. What really impressed us, is that they won this game, without key player David B. AND Abdul Wahdud had to leave 15 minutes early. They pulled off a convincing victory against a good Tiberias team outscoring them 36 to 21 in the first half. Moving forward, at full strength, this team is going to be tough to beat. Notable contributions from Lansana K., Monim Khan and Andy C..

Captain Monim Khan has built a strong team here. Championed by his first pick of the draft, Abdul Wadud Surin, the rookie who's made a lot of impressions in his limited showings. Monim supplemented this team with some great mid-round picks, Andy C. L Keita and Saad Afzal just to mention a few. I think perimeter scoring and defense are gonna be a huge point of focus for this team. It'll be tough for them to chase around some of the other teams like Tiberias who have a ton of youth and energy. It just feels like there's so many unknowns here with this team, especially having drafted a rookie with the #1 pick. I've got them at 5 entering week 1, but definitely a chance for some great upside.