(Updated 8:30pm) Kazakhstan started strong, and ended strong, though they needed an overtime period to best a Bahrain squad that fought all the way to the end, 79-76, Friday at the MOA Arena, in their Group D 2013 FIBA Asia match.
Off a 66-all deadlock, Kazakhstan got control of the overtime period early with Jerri Jonson and Dmitriy Klimov making shots for a 73-69 lead. Bahrain got within a point on a second-chance opportunity by Subah Azzam, 1:23 left, but Mohamed Alderazi’s triple was offline, forcing them to foul Konstantin Dvirnyy, who nailed both free throws, 79-76.
Bahrain sued for time to set up a potential double-OT situation, but Husain Altawash failed to make it happen with three seconds to go, giving Kazakhstan the victory.
Yesterday, Kazakhstan walloped Thailand 81-67, while Bahrain upset India in overtime, 82-80. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to make it two in a row, as their foes simply made more shots when it mattered most.
Rustam Yargaliyev led all scorers with 19 points, off a 50 percent shooting clip, that included 50 percent from downtown. Jonson added 18 markers and eight dimes, while Mikhail Yevstigneyev chipped in a solid double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Bahrain grabbed an early 7-3 lead, but they could only add four more to their initial tally, as Kazakhstan surged forward with 15 markers, to go up on top 18-11 after the first ten minutes.
An early two-pointer by Vitaly Lapchenko made it a nine-point affair, 20-11, but it was then Kazakhstan’s offense’s turn to stall, producing just two markers the rest of the way in a four-point second period. Bahrain took advantage, scoring 11, to knot things at 22-all, entering the halftime intermission.
A brief 6-0 run by Bahrain in the third, five coming from Mohamed Kawaid, handed his side a seven-point buffer, 33-26, 5:47 left in the period, only for a split at the line by starting point guard Jonson to tie the game at 40-all. Bahrain had the last say though, as former DLSU Green Archer Bader Malabes found Mohamed Alderazi for a trey, to put Bahrain up entering the final canto, 43-40.
Kazakhstan equalized twice in the fourth, 43-all and 52-all, until two charities by Dvirnyy edged them ahead, 54-52. Bahrain then punched back with seven markers, 59-54, 2:40 left.
Trailing by five late, Kazakhstan nailed a pair of two-pointers, including one off an offensive rebound following missed free throws, to get within a point of Bahrain, 59-58. Off a foul, Malabes showed them how it was done with two charities, to boost the difference to 61-58, only for Yargaliyev to tie things at with a triple, 1:08 remaining.
Malabes continued to show his worth, nailing a triple of his own, but Yargaliyev also stayed hot, nailing a deuce. Then off a foul, Ahmed Akbar could only split his free throws, for a 65-63 score, 25 seconds left. However, Kazakhstan could not capitalize, turning the ball over due to an offensive foul, despite previously calling a timeout.
But just as Kazakhstan bungled a chance to tie, Bahrain was unable to seal the deal, as Mohamed Kawaid split free throws. Jonson then connected from downtown for a 66-all count, 14 seconds left, forcing Bahrain to call for a timeout. With a chance to win, Bahrain went to Malabes, but his two-pointer failed to connect, setting up that country’s second OT game of the tourney in as many games.
Malabes and Ahmed Ismaeel paced Bahrain with 14 points apiece. Mohamed Kawaid and CJ Giles both had 12 markers to their name prior to fouling out, while Mohamed Alderazi chimed in with 10 points.
Kazakhstan out-rebounded their foes 47-34, but Bahrain stayed in the game with more free throws (37-31) and a more accurate clip at the line (81 percent versus 77 percent). – AMD, GMA News
The scores:
Kazakhstan 79 – Yargaliyev 19, Jonson 18, Yevstigneyev 16, Dvirnyy 12, Klimov 5, Ponomarev 4, Murzagaliyev 3, Lapchenko 2, Sultanov 0, Bondarovich 0, Zhigulin 0
Bahrain 76 – Malabes 14, Ismaeel 14, M. Kawaid 12, Giles 12, Alderazi 10, Azzam 7, Akber 6, Y. Kawaid 1, Ebrahim 0, Altawash 0,
Quarter scoring: 18-11, 22-22, 40-43, 66-66, 79-76