JEDDAH, 30 January 2005 — Ohod made a case for their rise as legitimate title contenders with important victories against tough teams Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Basketball Tournament.
Ohod, of Madinah, brought down Ahli 91-89 in a thrilling home game last Thursday and returned to the court the following day to beat Ittihad 88-86 to complete a double against Jeddah-based squads.
Ahli and Ittihad, however, managed a split of their weekend games. Ittihad edged Al-Ansar 88-87 in Madinah Thursday and Ahli outlasted home team Al-Ansar in a fight-marred double overtime game 114-106 Friday.
After a perfect two-for-two outing over the weekend Ohod moved to the top of the team standings in the tournament where the competition has been raised to the next level with quality performances from the top three teams Ohod, Ittihad and Ahli.
That Ohod were able to break Ittihad’s winning sreak was mainly because of the sweet-shooting Muhsin Khalaf who rained the enemy with several three-point baskets in the fourth quarter.
Ittihad were in control for the better part of the game leading by 23-18 after the first quarter, 46-44 after the second and 70-61 after the third.
But the final period starring Khalaf was all-Ohod as Ittihad’s game unravelled in the closing minutes.
In an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation that needed two five-minute extensions to produce a result, it was Ansar who blinked and Ahli went home with the victory.
The regulation period ended 81-81 and first overtime 96-96. Angry Al-Ansar officials, apparently unhappy with the officiating, started a fight at the end of the match and police had to step in to restore order. The basketball federation promised to punish all those that started the fight against the referees.
