OHHHHHH BABYYYYYYY
Its finally time to return to everyone’s favorite Wednesday night activities. Alhamdulillah, as you all know, Muslim Basketball is back for another season. Just want to thank everyone behind the scenes for making Palestine the forefront of this season, as those that are suffering around the world should always be on our minds as Muslims. We are all brothers. We are all one Ummah.

Let’s get into the nitty gritty then. Just want to say, looking at these rosters, I can’t believe how many old faces are returning, and I’ve never seen so many new faces. This is shaping up to be one of the best seasons in a while with MB legends Muj, Abdul Popal, and Mo Abdelhadi returning.

This ain’t Lonzo Ball, this ain’t Lavar Ball, this is the Crystal Ball

Now for the predictions:

Al-Bireh – Qalqilya:
One of the greatest aspects of Muslim Basketball is the scheduling team and they never fail to surprise. To open up the Muslim Basketball season, we have ex-champ teammates Shafic Itani and Big Moose facing off against each other. Shafic is back with his Lebanese running mate Towfeek, which they’re probably so excited for. Towfeek has missed the past two seasons with injuries but will look to get back to right where he left off, as he was one of the great two-way guards prior to his injury. Newcomer Mohammed Alzubidi looks to be the top addition on this team and Al-Bireh will be calling upon these 3 to get the engine running. Rounding this team out are the two Ameers/Amirs who are great role players and Mustafa Barakat/Ahmed Suqi who will be doing the dirty work. On the other side, we have the defending champions, Qalqilya. This team looks primarily the same with just two new additions. As the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. This team prides itself on passion, intensity, and hustle. Yes, there is Big Moose and Jay Wiggins. Yes, there is newcomer AK. But whoever wishes to stop Qalqilya from defending their championship will need to match their hustle and passion, as this is what gets them going. Yahya, Habi, Karim, Ahmed, Muhammad are all going to play their role and give full energy.

I don’t see Al-Bireh having enough passion out the gates in Week 1 to pull this one out, as that’s the recipe for the win against Qalqilya.

Qalqilya by 8.

Gaza – Qibya:
To begin, let’s start with the Gaza side. If anyone was watching the draft season, this team’s core is the same as Kabul, with Mahrooz and Singer joining forces again. This time, they added the Mombasa stopper, BIG SHIESTY, Joseph Capone, who really needs no explanation. IYKYK. These 3 will lead the way for this team and look to get Ammar and Kareem their first MB trophy. Rounding out this team, we got Mo dirty, Omar Elsamna and Salman Ilyas. Salmans going to be big for this team as he’s the anchor down low, and I’m sure Mahrooz will be giving him some support. Mo dirty and Omar Elsamna are guys who can do certain thigs well, with Mo being an offensive threat and Omar a defensive threat. On the other side we have Qibya, who is led by the Elsammak brothers, returning to MB with their group. Last time we saw this team, they were able to pull off an upset before losing to the finalists, so great to see them back. The free agent addition for this team, Aadil Yousuf, is extremely interesting as he could be the guy that puts this team over the hump and makes them competitive. Matchup to look out for here is Ammar Suliman and Salman Ilyas, as the two behemoths will be wrestling down low.

Overall, I think its going to be tough for Qibya to stop Singer, Capone and Mahrooz, just because these guys are pretty unselfish while still being isolation threats. While Qibya matches up well with Gaza, I think there is a slight edge to Gaza, in terms of skill. Of course, that can all change if Qibya wants it more.

I’m going to go Gaza by 11.

Al-Quds – Yaffa:
Rounding out the 7:30 slots is another amazing matchup. On the one side, we have Al-Quds, which is obviously the best team name of all, so they already won something. Anyways, this team is much more than just an amazing team name and they got basically all the ingredients of a championship team. Sharpshooters/offensive threats XL Tee(Amir Charrkas) and Lil O will be matchup nightmares as they will generate space for each other. This team has size in Jean Gomez, newcomer, Hussein A, who’s listed at 6’10, 280 (HUHH?!?!?!) and Malik Makkaoui, who’s 230 as well. Then there is Mustafa Abbassi, an MB vet who is a two-way player that can really do it all. Lastly, we have Commish HIMEY and Captain Sufian Abbassi, who will bring the hustle and be the glue guys for this team as veterans. On the other side, we have Yaffa, who is a team with many new faces, but one old one that stands out. The return of the Afghan legend, Mr.60 ball, Abdul Mutaleb Popal, will be a sight to see as he may be the greatest one- on-one player Muslim Basketball has seen. This time around, he brought some help along the way starting with his brother and sharpshooter, Mohammad Popal, or MP3. There is also the backcourt brother duo, Ismail and Ishaq Shah, who are extremely talented and savvy guards that make the right decisions and can do multiple things at a high level on the basketball court. This team is lacking some size, but the Forwards will make up for it with their toughness and shooting as Humza Shah, Abul Malik Popal, and Ehsan Shah are all guys who can knock a shot down and will hustle for 40 minutes.

I think this game is going to be fireworks. One issue that might too big to overcome for Yaffa is the size of Al-Quds, but a 2-3 defense could negate that. If that does happen, this will open up the floor for guys like Amir and lil O to start launching from deep, so it will be interesting to see how teams play Al-Quds, in general. Regardless, Al-Quds guards will have their hands full trying to keep up with the tenacious, ball-dominant scorers from Yaffa and this could open the game up in Yaffa’s favor.

Yaffa by 3.

Bethlehem – Nablus:
Beginning the 8:30 slot is these two teams. Bethlehem is a newly constructed team consisting of guys that are known in Muslim Basketball. This team is a group of friends and it was interesting to see them come together to form a squad. Hassan and Mahdy will lead the way and their chemistry with eachother as well as with the other teammates will make things operate very smoothly in the huddle. Everyone knows who the leaders of this team are, and everyone knows where the offensive production will be coming from. Ahmad Abid, Omar Sehwail and Ahmad Chaabane will be extremely important role players and their performance will dictate how far this team ultimately goes. On the other side, we have Nablus, who has called upon another MB legend to help lead them to a title. Mo Abdelhadi is a monster and the guy will still be near the top of the stats leaderboards even at 38. The guy can do it all and he plays hard, which automatically makes him one of the most dangerous players in the league. The question will be if he can get enough out of the Zubi brothers on the offensive side, Malik and Medo. Malik Zubi is playing with a HUGEE chip on his shoulder as he is coming off a string of abysmal seasons. He now has the chance to really make a deep run with Abdelhadi, so I’m excited to see what he can do. This team also has size with Mo Amin, Ahmed Kabar and OBD, making them well-rounded and well-grounded.

This is really a matchup of old vs new. Old-age basketball with lots of bigs and a veteran leading the way in Nablus vs young, quick, athletic players in Bethlehem. I really like the combo of Hassan and Mahdy throughout the season, but I think Nablus might just have too much size in this specific matchup.

Nablus by 6.

Baysan – Al-Khalil:
Next 8:30 game, Baysan vs Al-Khalil. Lets start with Baysan. This team may seem really new but its roots are the finalists from last Winter, Islamabad. That team consisted of Jared, Zain and Idris. These 3 guys are going to come in every week and play their part, without complaining or saying too much. I’d like to refer to them as 3 DAWGS. Although they are offensive weapons, I think people overlook the defense that this group plays and that might be their strongest quality. They have also added Sohaib and Tabty, who are guys that know the game, play the right way and should fit seamlessly into things. Newcomer Vigo Vigo seems like a tall guard based on stature but no prior knowledge of him. Lastly, Sal Rahin has found a new home and is a huge acquisition for this team. Sal in one corner and Idris in the other, Oh Boy. On the other side we have Al-Khalil, led by President of Basketball Operations, Hasnan Shah. Word on the street is that Hasnan has come with a lot of firepower and he’s bringing his hometown guys to win it all. I am not familiar with the players on the team, but I look forward to seeing them compete against what may be one of the best teams in the league.

Although I don’t know much about Al-Khalil, Im going out on a limb and saying Baysan by 7.

Jenin – Safad:
Ahl Turmosaya is back but without big man Deeb. DPOY candidate Mohammad Abdelghani has constructed a new squad with additions of Raj Patel and Jake Wally, two guys who can get a bucket at will. This will definitely help take pressure off Ian and Ahmad as they could turn into facilitators and don’t have to be the offensive scorers primarily as was the case in the past. This team has also added Mo Rayyaan, who will pair with Hamza to provide the sharpshooting for this team and these two will definitely force the defense to spread. Last but not least, BIG MAN Muhannad Atiyat is back in action and he will be hustling all game to defend and rebound for this team. On the other side, we have the group representing Safad, led by Fursan Abbassi as Captain. He will be joined by brother Islam and brother-in-law Ramzy. To round this team out, we have Jawad, Raied and Ali Suiafan who are three guys that just play to win. I am interested to see who will step up to provide consistent offense for this team other than Jawad or Ali. It could be Islam, Fursan and Raied. Or maybe the latter will be the focal points of the offense and Jawad and Ali will play off them. Interestingly constructed team and I’m excited to see how they get it done.

Overall, this game is pretty even. This is a big chance for either of these teams to start the season off right and use that momentum to push forward and win more games. Many people may look at the Jenin squad and think they have the edge because of offensive skill, but I think Safad could be one of the best defensive teams in the league as their squad is consisting of literally all Defensive-minded players that play to win. This style of play will likely cause Jenin to fold and I don’t think their chemistry will be good enough in the first week to overcome that.

Safad by 5.

Ramla – Al-Wehdat:
Now for the 9:30 games. First up is this one with the Ramla team consisting of guys like Shahzaib and Omar Mana, two of the best in the league last season and probably this season as well. There is also a newcomer alongside Mana, Hassan Farhat who is 6’6. This may be a reconstruction of the Minnesota Timberwolves with the two bigs and the athletic scoring guard. Ahmad Saleh, Amir Abbassi, Elias and Mr. State Trooper will be the role players on this team and they each bring things to the table respectively. 4 solid pieces to round the team out and this is looking like a team that can make some noise. The questions will be 1. How can the big men play well together? and 2. How will the role players make their mark on the game? On the other side, we have Al-Wehdat. This is an extremely new team and I am only familiar with some of the names on the roster. Because I don’t know much about them, I can’t say much about them and therefore have nothing to predict regarding them. Regardless, If Al-Wehdat can beat Ramla, it would definitely make them noticeable right off the bat.

Im going with Ramla by 10 but good luck to Al-Wehdat. Prove me wrong.

Areeha – Shatila:
Next 9:30 game is Areeha – Shatila. Looking at the Areeha roster, it is extremely refreshing to see names like Omar Marachli and Samih Wadi because other than that, this team is basically a retirement home. Sadly, a lot of teams might lose to the retirement home squad because these old heads still HOOP. Led by Afay and Big O, I’m not counting this team out of any game, I don’t care if the ages on their profile say 78. Side note: Everyone get to know Mr. Muhammad Shabazz. He hasn’t been in MB the past few seasons but it’s a welcoming sight to see that he’s back and going to be blessing us all with his smiles and good energy. They will be going up against another team fill of veterans, which makes this game extremely intriguing. Shatila, led by Co-Commish, 37-time champ, All-time leading MB scorer, Edriss Froogh, will be calling upon Farhad Barbury to lead the way for this team. Farhad is an MB vet who has consistently proven Father Time wrong and continues to stay on top of his game. It will be interesting to see of this team was constructed with enough fire power to get ED championship number 38 but we’ll know as the season develops.

I think this game is a great matchup. Two primarily veteran squads, two older duos that still got it. Ed will have his hands full if Afay is the same as he was before and on the other side, Big O will have to contain Farhad as much as possible for Areeha to come out with the dub. Looking at both of these rosters, I think I can find more ways for Areeha to come out with the victory than Shatila as they are deeper and have more options.

Areeha by 1.

Haifa – Sabra:
Annnnd that brings us to the final game of the night. First, lets talk about Haifa. This is a team with many familiar faces although it’s a roster that we’ve never seen before. I’m extremely excited to see the duo of Omar Qasem and Muhanad Deeb, two good friends that may have never played on the same team before. Second, Kareem Ahmed and Omar Hussein are another two guys that are good friend and will work together with Deep Patel to handle the ball for this team. I know Qasem and Deeb will be taking care of the paint, but I feel that this team is missing just one more anchor in the paint to be a HUGE problem. Still, they have Muhammad Darr, who has some size, and they have enough talent to be competitive this season. On the other side, there is the choke artists who are representing Sabra. Led by Captain and General Manager Weiss, this team has had its fair share of heartbreak for many years running now. Although they are full of talent and chemistry, some thing always goes wrong. Weiss has not made the same mistake this time and has added another piece to the group, Mr. Ty Jackson. According to the scouting team that gives me the rundown, this guy is going to be a difference maker. Oh and just because I didn’t say his name yet, Pete Brown.
This is a great Week 1 matchup and a great way for Haifa to see how their size stacks up with the biggest big in the league in Pete Brown. I have seen Muhanad Deeb give him trouble, and I think if Pete Brown were to be somewhat contained, Haifa could have a shot. This would mean that Haifa would need to stop Ty Jackson and be disciplined enough to not allow Mo Masri, Raza, and Sadat to have an imprint on the game. I would suggest Deep take responsibility of Ty Jackson. If Haifa can check all of these boxes in just week 1, they have a bright season ahead of them.

Call me crazy but I’m going with the upset.

Gimme Haifa by 1.

Edited by user Tuesday, January 30, 2024 7:20:00 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified