Muslim Basketball

Definitely not how a team wants to end their regular season - poor attendance and 5 straight losses. They have one of the most talented backcourts in Luis and Moayad, a top center in Omar Mana - their issue is that they don’t all play at the same time. 

Yes they only had four, but this knockdown is a residual of their loss last week. They were very uninspired and looked uninspired for a second straight week.

Luis had a day, but that ended up being a net negative as he only defended Jaber for like four possessions, succumbing 34 points to the Mecca floor general. Bad games from Moayad and Muhammad Mustafa did not help the cause. I hope Mana shows up for enough games to be playoff eligible or else this team won’t see past the second round. With Mana, they’re a different team - they could potentially be sitting at 7-0 (and before you blast me, go look at their losses, Mana would’ve gotten them at least 2 additional wins.)

Need to see them play with Omar Mana for a couple consecutive games before coming up with the verdict. What I do know, though, is that Moayad is playing at an MVP caliber level. He’s averaging 20 points on fewer than 14 shots per game, besides being reckless and out of control once or twice a game, he’s been extremely efficient and has made tremendous strides from past seasons. As a team, Amman needs to up the defensive intensity and that will start with the return of Mana. He’s a difference maker defensively and on both ends when it comes to rebounding. They have a vulnerable Mecca team next week, I would like to see them dominate all facets of the game.

They continue to look impressive without big man Omar Mana. Louis and Moayad are playing at a tremendous level. Muhammad Shabazz continues to clean up the glass for his guards - he had another solid performance while playing the entire game. Louis and Moayad combined for 40 on 30 shots and over 50% shooting. They have both been very efficient all season long and that starts with their ability to get to the rim. 

No Mana, no problem. Louis and Moayad are the real deal. Both of them are finding ways to get and make high percentage shots, both are playing extremely efficiently, and both get to the foul line at will. Muhammad Shabazz provides a level of stability down low, especially in Mana's absence. Would like to see a little bit more out of Muhammad Mustafa, just to keep defenders from crowding Louis and Moayad. They'll need to find a way to stretch the floor. They shoot a league lowest 2.5 3s per game, and shoot it at a bottom six percentage. Teams will continue to crowd the paint and force them to win from the outside, but Louis and Moayad have been playing at a very high level, so just crowding the paint to stop them will be easier said than done - especially when Mana plays.

Shot a high percentage but couldn’t get that many shots. Moayad only attempted 8 shots, but found a way to get to the line a handful of times. Unfortunately, he only converted half of them, leaving a flurry of points off the scoreboard. They didn’t have Mana, so I’ll give them a bit of slack. Mana may not be an offensive force, but defensively and rebounding the ball, he impacts the game and influences results in Amman’s favor.

Moayad. Mana. Louis. 2-0. Do not see them in a game until week 6. Moayad has always been aggressive in his attack, but he’s playing on a different level now. Stronger and smarter with the ball, elusive and shifty, boy, he’s a load to defend. Go help on him? Louis. Let him drive but cut off with big? Mana. Game over.

Dear Amman Opponents, if the ball does not go in the basket when you shoot, please turn around and get back on defense. Twenty rebounds…for just Omar Mana? Defensively and on the glass, this is a terrific group. Offense efficiency is what this team somewhat lacks. Moayad can score, there’s no doubt about it. Scoring 22 on 16 shots though, is oddly efficient. If he can find a way to shoot around 50%, score around 20, and only take 13-16 shots, Amman has a legitimate shot to climb. 20 boards for Mana is a load, but he needs to do more offensively as well. 5 points on 2/8 shooting will not cut it when he is forced to play both ends against Salman (Dhaka) or Ammar Idelbi (Mecca). Those are who Amman will have to go through if they look to win it all. Establishing a mentality to play under control and with efficiency is what they need to start doing from now, so when it matters, they are ready.