Muslim Basketball

Shatila may not overwhelm teams with offense on paper, but what they bring defensively is an iron wall, regardless of who is on the floor. AW leads the way for this group, and even when the box score does not jump out, his interior presence and hustle are clearly felt. A strong performance this week could be the difference in locking up the number two spot and carrying valuable momentum into the remainder of the season, potentially earning a bye heading into the playoffs.

Talk about grit. What looked like an early runaway loss to Nazareth transformed into one of the toughest defensive performances of the week. Shatila packed the paint, forced difficult looks, and out-worked Nazareth in crunch time. Even with AW fouling out after an impressive stat line (10 pts, 13 reb, 4 stl), the team held its ground and closed out key possessions late. The offense may not be flashy, but Shatila continues to show they are the best defensive unit in MB capable of dragging any team into the mud and making them uncomfortable.

Projected Finish: #3

Shatila began the season with an impressive Week 1 win where they outperformed Jerusalem through balanced scoring and a dominant performance from AW, who posted 23 points and 13 rebounds. Their offense moved the ball well, and every player filled their role effectively.

Week 2 became more challenging as missing key pieces impacted their shot quality, spacing, and overall depth. At times, their limited rotation made it difficult to keep pace with Rafah, who hit timely shots and controlled the glass. Despite those issues, Shatila still possesses one of the most physically imposing lineups in the league when fully available. Their interior presence and rebounding strength give them an advantage against most opponents.

Projected Ranking for Week 4: 4 to 5, depending heavily on roster availability.