08 - 16
October 2016
4 Samuel David Young Iii (UAE)
08/10/2016
Game Report
to read

Al Ahli strike fast and hard against Barsy Atyrau

CHENZHOU (FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2016) – Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates drew first blood in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2016 after blowing out Kazakhstan’s Barsy Atyrau, 105-68, on Day 1.

Al Ahli drew big games from imports Samuel Young and Cheikh Samb, who combined for 67 points. The UAE quintet started the game strong dominated the Kazakhs to notch their maiden win of the tournament. Barsy Atyrau was led by Pavel Ilin, who scored 15 points.

Turning Point: Al Ahli led 31-15 after the first period and never looked back. They upped the lead, 51-28, at the half and just proceeded to waylay the Kazakhs the rest of the way. In short, Al Ahli was never threatened this encounter.

Stats Don't Lie: Al Ahli were sharp on offense, hitting 57% of their field goals and making 15 threes. Barsy Atyrau just couldn’t hold UAE down, and they paid for it dearly as Al Ahli scored practically at will.

Game Hero: Samuel Young was the undisputed monster in this match, unloading 50 points on 18/26 FG shooting for Al Ahli. He has served notice that he is a force to be reckoned with and that Al Ahli are a team that should not be overlooked.

The Bottom Line: This is the first win for Al Ahli, who are targeting advancing to the next round and also hoping for a good seeding. This win gives them a bit of a cushion as they take on powerhouse Xinjiang tomorrow. Barsy, meanwhile, will rest on Day 2 and try to bounce back on Day 3 against the Chinese.


FIBA