Bahrain’s Fast Break Frenzy Leaves India Struggling

TDT | Manama

Email: hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain ran past India 111–80 in Ulaanbaatar, turning pace and smart transition play into an impressive performance. From the opening jump ball, Hassan Abdulkadir and Somto Patrick Onoduenyi set the tone in the paint, while Bahrain’s defense and fast breaks kept India on the back foot. Rebounds, forced turnovers, and second-chance points quickly piled up, leaving India struggling to respond.

Q1: Bahrain Sets the Tone

The match began with Bahrain’s Hassan Oshobuge Abdulkadir winning the opening jump ball. The team quickly capitalised on transition opportunities, with Yousif Yaqoob Meshaei scoring a fast-break layup to put Bahrain ahead. India responded immediately through Krishna Suneriya, who sank a three-pointer to keep the score close.

Bahrain’s Somto Patrick Onoduenyi converted a thunderous dunk, while Mohamed Adel Abdulla’s layup after a steal highlighted Bahrain’s early defensive intensity. India’s Ansh Tomer and Mohammad Raza Khan added points, but Bahrain’s consistent steals and fast breaks allowed them to edge ahead. The first quarter ended with Bahrain narrowly leading 30–27, setting up a competitive but controlled game.

Q2 - Bahrain Pulls Away

Bahrain’s dominance became clearer in the second frame. Onoduenyi and Abdulkadir combined inside the paint, extending Bahrain’s lead through dunks and hook shots. India tried to respond with Suneriya’s hook shot and Tomer’s layup, but Bahrain’s defensive rebounds and fast breaks, led by Hussain Fuad’s  three-pointer, kept them in control.

By halftime, Bahrain led 53–39, with clear advantages in points in the paint (78–24), fast-break points (39–14), and second-chance opportunities (30–21). Their largest lead at this stage was six points, punctuated by decisive 7–0 and 8–0 scoring runs that swung momentum firmly in their favor.

Q3 - Maintaining Relentless Pressure

After the break, Bahrain continued to assert themselves. Onoduenyi’s dunk and Abdulkadir’s hook shot showed their inside scoring ability, while India’s Arman hit several three-pointers, keeping Bahrain honest. Shekhar Rathee added a layup for India, but Bahrain’s defense limited opportunities and converted turnovers into fast-break points, stretching their lead to 78–60 by the quarter’s end.

Bahrain’s bench also began contributing, highlighting the team’s depth. Despite eight lead changes and 5:05 of tied play across the game, Bahrain led for over 34 minutes, showing their sustained control.

Q4 - Bahrain Seals the Win

In the final quarter, India's Suneriya and Rathee attempted a late rally, with Rathee sinking a three-pointer. But Bahrain's defensive blocks and offensive rebounds kept them in control. Bench contributions from Ali Khalil Habib closed out a comfortable 111-80 win.

The final statistics reflected Bahrain’s excellence:

- Total rebounds: 64–49

- Defensive rebounds: 37–20

- Assists: 25–22

- Steals: 18–15

- Points off turnovers: 29–20

- Bench points: 30–2

India had slight edges in offensive rebounds (29–27), turnovers (25–23), and personal fouls (23–13), but these were not enough to challenge Bahrain’s overall dominance.

If Bahrain can carry the same pace and defensive intensity into tomorrow’s qualifier against the Philippines, a spot in the quarter-finals could be well within their reach.