Muslim Basketball

Best win: Statement W vs Bethlehem. Without a clear second option or defensive identity, Nazareth needed a win against a top team to put the league on alert. They found their formula with Luis as an inside and out mismatch and Larry sneakily dominating the glass. The size of the frontcourt frees up space for their dynamic guards. Muhammad Assaf has been streaky but until he can be more efficient, the offense’s ceiling is limited.

A strong season for Luis continues with a monster 29 and 15. The frontcourt with him and Larry are the driving force of this team. Their zone looked solid as well, forcing many deep 3s from Haifa, who can hit those but you live with it if they do. This isn’t a team that will make it rain on a weekly basis but they’ve found other advantages that make them a legit threat to beat anyone.

Statement game from Nazareth to put them on the league's radar. Excellent discipline in transition. Luis dominated down low and from 3, forcing them into a zone quickly. Khaled had great finishing around the rim, and is shooting 48% on the season. Muhammad was great in penetrating an aggressive zone by Bethlehem. Larry crushed Bethlehem’s souls on the glass. Exciting matchup vs Haifa next week.

A confusing team to rank, Nazareth put out a balanced scoring effort and have pressed their advantages well in all their wins. Games like this from Khaled and Muhammad leave room for players like Yamin and Lawrence to contribute. Their losses, however, have been borderline dysfunctional against better teams. The next few games will define what type of team Nazareth is.

Relying too much on one player is never sustainable over a season and the cracks started to show this week for Nazareth without Luis. They showed signs of playing smart basketball in previous weeks but this week they let the game get out of hand in transition. The inconsistencies will continue to be frustrating but they need to fight through and clean up the mistakes.

It’s rare to see teams come out with a well coordinated defensive gameplan but Nazareth pulled it off. Their zone and well timed double teams gave Akrum and Jenin problems despite the misleading box score in a blowout. Great performance by Khalid Musbeh with 28 on 12-14 shooting. Would like to see it again before pushing them higher up the rankings.

The shot distribution for Nazareth shows that the roles for this team are becoming clearer. Luis will continue to be the focal point, with another 22. Khaled and Muhammad will be relied upon to support, having the next most shot attempts. It doesn’t look like this formula will be enough most weeks so they’ll need to look for other advantages.

Nazareth controlled the game with strong inside play and dominant rebounding, led by Luis Martinez’s 23 points and 12 boards in a standout performance. Muhammad Assaf added 14 points with efficient perimeter shooting, helping the team reach 40% from the field. Their 28–10 rebounding advantage and balanced scoring proved too much for Safad to overcome.