MANAMA (Bahrain) - Another down-the-wire affair ensued but Manama flipped the script this time and got back at Al Qadsia SC, 87-81, to get a win run going in the 2024/2025 FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL), Monday night at the BBA Arena.
The perennial contenders did take control early following a 31-point second-quarter eruption for a 51-36 halftime lead, but still needed some assistance from Lady Luck herself in the endgame to come out of the intense matchup triumphant.
Coach Linos Gavriel and his wards have now won twice in a row after an unprecedented 0-2 start into the season, and are definitely aiming to sustain their climb in Group B of the Gulf League as the Group Phase heads into the home stretch.
Game heroes: Clint Chapman starred with 24 points and 13 rebounds, alongside 2 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks to earn STEP AHEAD Player of the Game honors.
Tony Carr finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists as he and his fellow WASL veteran helped make sure that Manama would get revenge on their Kuwaiti foes after falling to a 90-84 decision back in their first meeting last October 28.
Mohamed Kowaid chipped in 10 points on a perfect 5-fort-5 clip from the free throw line as the forward helped repel the visiting side's late-game comeback attempt.
Turning point: Carr and Chapman were at the forefront of Manama's strong first half, combining for 29 points as they keyed the second-quarter turnaround that saw them lead a 9-0 run for a 35-22 lead that soon became a 15-point spread at the half.
Yet Qadsia came back in the second half, relying yet again on their outside shooting to claw their way back and keep the game from becoming a one-sided affair.
The crew of Coach Joseph Stiebing even went on to cause anxious moments to Manama late in the match when Chinemelu Elonu and Phil Greene IV joined hands to trim a nine-point deficit to only four, 85-81, with 38.5 seconds remaining.
However it proved to be their last hurrah, with Greene missing a crucial trey with about 11 seconds left to play. Elonu had no choice but to give up a foul and freeze the clock, but it only paved the way for Mohamed Buallay to seal the deal through his freebies.
Stats don't lie: Manama did yield 15 Qadsia triples but shot the ball better overall, converting 43.1-percent from the floor. Defense did wonders, too, as they forced the opposition to commit 21 turnovers, which led to 15 points.
They said: "Definitely. We feel better. We look better. We're winning. Every time we're winning, we feel good. The team made a statement winning on the road against Ittihad, a team that is unbeaten in the Saudi league. And today we managed to beat a really, really tough, talented team with a good coach in Qadsia. Yes, I'm satisfied. There's room for improvement. But definitely, so far, so good." - Linos Gavriel, Head Coach, Manama
"I'm not really focused on my individual game. I came here to win. I've been in WASL for the last two seasons, finally cracked the Final 8 last year, but I struggled with Manama in those two seasons. Been in touch with Coach, and here we are. I came here to win, I came here to help this team win." - Clint Chapman, Center, Manama
"We had some defensive breakdowns, of the game plan that we wanted to play. We had a certain strategy that we wanted to follow on certain personnel and we didn't follow it in that second quarter, and they were able to get a nice lead and hold on. I thought we played much better in the second half .. And that was the reason why were able to get back in the game and have a chance there in the end." - Joey Stiebing, Head Coach, Al Qadsia SC
"Very crucial [will be our next two games]. Must-win games for us, you know. We're playing on the road again so it's gonna be another hostile environment. We just gotta come prepared, and be ready. The second quarter was really our downfall. So we gotta stick to the game plan and if we do that, we'll be OK." - Phil Greene IV, Guard, Al Qadsia SC
FIBA