| Nasr Runs Out of Gas |
Mar 9, 2006 |
The second half of the semi-finals opened the day as both Humazah and Nasr prepared to go all out to earn a shot at the Championship against Sharh. Humazah was especially prepared as they dressed a complete roster for the first time since the beginning of the season. Big man Bashir Moses made a return to the line up to ensure his team marches the distance. Things weren't so much the same for Nasr as they carried only two men on their bench. Only time would tell what role stamina and the size of a bench would make in this game.
The game started with two technicals assessed to Moses and Aqil of Humazah for not adhering to league rules regarding uniforms. Fortunately for them Chris Tyrell was unable to make the freebies. From here the game took off on a quick pace. Both teams pushed the ball quickly to the opposite end looking to light up the scoreboard. An early match up was set as both Tyrell and Moses shouldered the offense for their teams. Unfortunately for Tyrell the the task seemed harder as he quickly picked up two fouls in the opening minutes. Thankfully for Nasr rust was apparent on Moses as he shot poorly from the floor. Although there was a high tempo both teams struggled to put the ball in the basket. Turnovers became the name of the game early and the game shifted as the guards started to control the shots for each team. Size was also playing a factor and the much taller Humazah dominated the boards on both ends of the floor.
The tables turned early on Nasr as Chris Tyrell picked up his third foul in the eighth minute. Nasr decided to leave him on the floor but it quickly became apparent that a whole opened up down low. That was enough for Humazah as they continued their charge to the hoop knowing that there would be little resistance to stop them. The tide had shifted and Humazah started to build their lead. By the end of the half Humazah led 33-26. Fuad Hurre led Humazah’s balanced attack with 9 points while Renald James equally scored 9 points for Nasr.
The half-time break was much needed for Nasr. They knew they need to somehow take control of the boards and keep the opposition’s talented offense at bay. Unfortunately things didn’t work out as they planned. An early push by Nasr resulted in rushed plays, missed baskets, and turnovers. That led to 8 consecutive points by Humazah of which most were open layups. Missed free throw opportunities were also damaging Nasr’s chances of shrinking the lead. With 6 minutes left in the game Aqil and Hurre take a break as their team is coasting to victory. Chances were plenty for Nasr but turnovers continued to affect their game especially for point guard Arsalan Jamil who wasn’t having one of his finest games. The final minutes proved to be especially difficult for Nasr as they had completely run out of gas. It was all easy sailing for Humazah in the end. They mercifully ended the game with a 69-54 victory over Nasr earning the final berth in the Championship game. Renald James led all scorers with 19 points while Hurre and Aqil scored 15 and 14 points respectively for Humazah. Bashir Moses was a special factor for Humazah as well scoring 13 points and 10 rebounds while effectively limiting Chris Tyrell from doing any damage.
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