Al Najma stun Manama with last-gasp winner

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Al Najma pulled off a 78-76 victory over Manama last night, sealing a stunning win with a last-second tip-in in their Golden Square semi-final opener of the 2025-26 Zain Bahrain Basketball League.

In a closely contested clash at Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town, the game went down to the wire, with Najma overturning a late deficit to snatch victory in thrilling fashion.

Manama, coached by Bahraini Salman Ramadhan, appeared in control entering the final minutes, holding a lead that stretched to as many as 10 points earlier in the fourth quarter. Behind Ali Jaber and Alex Young, who both finished with 18 points, and Mohammed Buallay, who added 16 points along with 10 rebounds and five assists, Manama looked poised to draw first blood in the bestof-five series.

However, Najma, guided by Tunisian coach Racem Marzougui, refused to back down. Led by a superb 25-point outing from Mohamed Hussain, they chipped away at the deficit with timely shooting and defensive stops. Donovan Smith and Hassan Fahad also played crucial roles, contributing 14 and 13 points respectively, with Fahad pulling down 10 rebounds and adding three blocks inside.

The final minute proved decisive. Hussain drained a clutch three-pointer to tie the game at 76-76 with under 30 seconds remaining. Manama had a chance to respond but missed on consecutive possessions. Najma capitalised in the closing seconds: Smith grabbed a crucial offensive rebound and converted a tip-in lay-up with just four seconds left, giving his side a two-point lead.

Manama had one final opportunity, but Hasan Nowrooz’s three-point attempt at the buzzer missed its mark, sealing Najma’s remarkable comeback.

Earlier, the two teams traded blows throughout the first three quarters. The opening period ended level, and Manama carried a narrow 66-60 advantage into the fourth after edging ahead slightly by halftime. Despite Manama’s balanced scoring and strong showing, Najma’s resilience and execution in crunch time ultimately proved decisive.

The result gives Najma a 1-0 lead in the series. Game two is set for Sunday, where Ramadhan’s Manama will look to respond and keep their title ambitions alive, while Marzougui’s Najma aim to build on their momentum.