Muslim Basketball

After knocking off Damascus in Week 4, Beirut has officially found its rhythm. While Lahore wasn't the toughest test, Beirut came out with purpose from the opening tip. Omar Abufarha continued his outstanding season with 15 points and 7 rebounds, attacking the rim relentlessly while knocking down open looks. Alongside Ronny Sawwan, the duo is becoming one of the league's toughest frontcourts when they're clicking. With Elias back in the rotation, Beirut looks primed to make another push toward the top before the playoffs.

In a much-needed result, Beirut finally secured its first win of the season behind the offensive firepower of Omar Abufarha and the defensive intensity of Abdualrahman. Both players have been tremendous assets for a team that has struggled with availability all season. Omar put together a strong Player of the Week performance, finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds while delivering several crucial baskets that kept Beirut in control. Elton was also instrumental, contributing 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. As Damascus began to mount a comeback, Beirut stayed composed, executed down the stretch, and closed out a well-earned victory.

The growing pains continue for Beirut, who actually had more than five players available this time but still struggled badly on the defensive end. Islamabad took full advantage, turning the game into what felt like an extended shooting drill at times. On a brighter note, it’s great to see Elias back on the floor after a long-awaited return—he didn’t miss a beat offensively, finishing with 18 points while shooting 4-of-7 from deep. If Beirut can build some chemistry and consistency moving forward, they have the pieces to be dangerous. It just comes down to everyone showing up and locking in on both ends.

Another hard-fought game for Khalil, Elton, and Ronny, who were still recovering after last week’s battle where Beirut only had four players available. Availability is already becoming a major concern for this squad, and it’s unfortunate considering just how much talent this team actually has. And the scary part? Beirut still hasn’t seen the debuts of Elias — one of MB’s true swiss-army knives — or Adam Spengler, who has delivered some impressive performances in previous seasons. Once those pieces are available, this team could look completely different. On the bright side, Abdulrahman Musa looks like the real deal. He finished with 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in a breakout performance that definitely turned heads around the league. It’s starting to look like Elton finally got the help he’s been waiting for.

The former Al-Khalil squad is back, and Khalil clearly spent the offseason recruiting. Adding Ronny should finally address the big-man issues that haunted this team in past seasons, while Elias gives Elton some much-needed support offensively. Week 1 didn’t go as planned, but playing with only four guys against a full squad is never ideal. Still, the scoring was balanced, with Ronny and Elton leading the way with 17 and 15 points. Once the full roster is available, Beirut should look much more like the team they envisioned heading into the season.