JEDDAH, 25 July 2005 — Algeria stunned powerhouse Jordan 93-56 last night in the 16th Arab Basketball Championship at the General Presidency of Youth Welfare hall here.
After the preliminary stage, six teams are left to vie for the championship title in the tournament where Egypt are the defending champions.
Algeria’s big victory over the previously unbeaten Jordan were not without a price after two of their starters suffered injuries.
Algeria got into foul trouble in the first half with two players saddled with four fouls and another with three.
But Algeria’s strong bench picked up the challenge adding 28 points to the total. First quarter ended with the scores tied at 25-25. At halftime the score was 50-44 for Algeria. In the third period Algeria zoomed ahead scoring 16 points and holding Jordan to only 6. Algeria outscored Jordan in the final quarter 27-6.
Bozeyan Ali scored 18 points, Bin Ramadan Ameen 16, and Okeed Tardiq 15 for Algeria. Jordan’s Iyad Abdeen scored 11, while Musa Al Alwad, and Iman Daes each got 10.
Tunisia overpowered Saudi Arabia 81-66. Tunisia shot a spectacular 71% from the field as against Saudi Arabia’s 48%.
Muhamad Amin knocked down 5 three pointers and Hamid Bin Sharef scored 17 for Tunisia. Ahmed Samantar had 16 and Kahlid Falatha 14 for Saudi Arabia.
