JEDDAH, 7 May 2006 — Al-Ittihad advanced to the finals of the 19th Arab Basketball Championship for Clubs in Rabat City Morocco.
Ittihad will face defending champions Al-Riyadh Beirut from Lebanon for the championship today in a match to be telecast live at 6 p.m. on Saudi Sports Channel.
Ittihad qualified for the title game by beating Al-Kuwait 90-84 in the semifinals, while Al-Riyadh downed host team RCA Casablanca 95-63.
Al Kuwait put up a fight but was outcoached in the tight match. Ittihad’s shooters did great in the first quarter. Adel Al Johani had 14 points, Jaber Al Shamrani 6, Ali Maghrabi 4. They led 28 to 21 to end the period. Second period import player Chudney Gray turned things around for Kuwait. He finished the half with 21 points to power Kuwait to a 48-45 spread. For Ittihad Adle had 16 points and Jaber 14, between them they made 9 three-point shots in the half. Chudney Gray’s performance of 16 points in the second quarter had to be dealt with.
Ittihad substituted defense for offense and put Yaya Iberheim on Gray and Jaber sat down. It worked as Gray was held to seven points and Yaya finished the game high man with 28 points.
Other scores for Kuwait were Eddie Elisma 22 points and Osama Al Farhan 19.
After shutting down Gray Ittihad rolled to the win. Adel Al Johani pumped in 27 points, Marlon Parmer 18, Jaber Al Shamrani 14, Ali Mughrabi 13. Ittihad has had four or five players in double figures throughout the tournament.
Art Long, Ali, Adel, Parmer, and Jaber are all averaging double figures. They suffered only one loss that was in the first round after qualifying. The coach rested his starters because the game had no bearing on their position in round two. Ittihad won the championship in 2004.
