Muslim Basketball

This game against Instanbul was a battle from start to finish, with Tripoli trailing at halftime. The difference? Defense. Fourteen steals completely changed the momentum, led by Mohamed Sakar's five steals as he wreaked havoc all over the court. Offensively, things flowed much better as Hicham and Ammar each scored 18 points while Alaa chipped in 13. They'll need that same intensity next week against Jerusalem.

A big-time win for Tripoli against Amman, and one that should do wonders for this team's confidence. Players like Ammar, Hicham, and the Sakar brothers have shown up week after week, playing hard and doing all the little things right. In previous games, they just couldn't get the key shots to fall when it mattered most. This time was different. A dominant second-half performance flipped the game on its head and showcased the potential this group has when everything clicks. If Tripoli can bottle up that energy and execution, they'll be a tough out for anyone in the league.

This was a tough loss for Tripoli despite showing signs of a second-half comeback. What makes this team so exciting is their relentless effort—no matter the score, they battle until the final buzzer. However, their shooting woes once again came back to haunt them. Another lingering question, now a third of the way through the season, is who will take control of the offense when it matters most. Even without star big man Marawan in the lineup, there were flashes. Hicham bounced back with a strong 16-point performance, while Alaa Belhadj added 10 points and finished several smooth drives at the rim. Tripoli has the heart and energy to compete with anyone; now they just need another win to build some momentum and confidence moving forward.

Despite trailing for most of the game, Tripoli never stopped fighting and kept threatening to flip the script late in the second half. Every time it looked like Damascus might pull away, Tripoli answered with a run of their own — they just couldn’t get the biggest shots to drop when it mattered most. Marawan once again delivered with a strong double-double performance, controlling the paint and making his presence felt all game. Meanwhile, Ammar Rana had the green light from deep and let it fly, finishing with 15 points and helping keep Tripoli within striking distance. Still, for anyone watching closely, it felt like Tripoli may have left something on the table by not going to Marawan even more. With the way he was impacting the game, a heavier offensive workload for him could be the key to turning close battles like this into wins moving forward.

Love seeing the trio of Alaa, Marawan, and Hicham back together. Their chemistry jumps off the screen, and each guy brings something different to the floor. Marawan had a strong 18-point outing while showing off his stretch-big ability, and Abdurahmen stuffed the stat sheet with a double-double plus 3 steals and 3 assists. This roster has talent everywhere, and if they stay healthy and available, they can absolutely make noise this season.