Muharraq Clinch Khalifa bin Salman Cup

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Muharraq clinched back-to-back Khalifa bin Salman Cup titles with an 80-73 win over Manama last night at Khalifa Sports City. Played behind closed doors due to regional conflicts, the victory completed a clean sweep of their rivals this season and brought Muharraq level with the league’s most decorated sides on three titles.

In a final that rarely allowed either side to settle, Muharraq seized control in key stretches, particularly in the third quarter, where they began to pull away after a tight first half. Mohamed Ameer’s dominant presence in the paint and crucial three-pointers earned him tournament MVP honors, underlining his pivotal role in the Red Wolves’ success.

Manama, guided by coach Salman Ramadhan, showed early resilience. Ali Jaber and Ahmed Salman briefly pushed them ahead in the second quarter, keeping the scoreboard ticking with sharp shooting and drives. Muharraq, under German coach Peter Schomers, responded through Michael Warren, who finished as the game’s top scorer with 20 points, and Ameer to take a slim 41-38 lead at halftime.

After the interval, the game swung in Muharraq’s favor. They tightened defensively and capitalized on Manama’s turnovers. Warren and captain Bader Abdulla extended the lead, while Ameer’s three-pointer and Wayne Chism’s rebounding pushed the advantage into double digits heading into the fourth quarter.

Manama mounted a fightback midway through the final period. Ahmed Salman sparked a rally with free throws and a three-pointer, and Hasan Nowrooz added long-range points to cut the deficit to five. But Muharraq stayed composed. Warren’s late free throws, Chism’s boards, and timely contributions from Mahmood Abbas Isa sealed the victory.

Manama, missing injured forward Subah Hussain, were led by Ahmed Salman’s 20 points and Romeo Enan’s 14 points with 13 rebounds, but they struggled to sustain momentum when it mattered most.

The result caps a dominant campaign for the Red Wolves, who added the Khalifa bin Salman Cup to their Super Cup triumph earlier this season. It also sees them draw level with Manama and Al Ahli as the most decorated teams in the competition’s history. Attention now turns to the Zain Basketball League semi-finals later this week, where Muharraq face Al Ahli and Manama take on Al Najma, with the rivalry set to continue in a best-of-five series format.