Dubai: Freescoring Tony Madison inspired Sporting Club, Lebanon to an emphatic 83-63 win against Al Jazira, Egypt in the final of the 17th Dubai International Basketball tournament played at the Al Ahli Club last night.
Prince Talal Bin Badr, President of the Arab Basketball Federation (ABF) and Qasim Sultan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Ahli Club, gave away the winner's trophy after the jam-packed finale.
If Madison was the one dominating the scoring for the winners, youngster Omar Al Turkh was coach Fuad Abu Shakra's man of the hour even as the Egyptians threatened to overhaul a healthy lead.
Smarting from their shock 80-76 defeat to Al Jazira during the preliminary rounds earlier this week, the Lebanese were in no mood to allow the same thing to happen in the final. "They played with a big heart throughout and we knew they would be dangerous as opponents in the final," coach Abu Shakra told Gulf News.
Madison was at his very best leading all scorers with a total of 27 points embraced by three triples in the first and final quarters of the match.
Though the match got quite physical, the Lebanese never allowed the lead to slip out of their grasp. Sporting Club commenced with their now customary initial blast for a 12-0 cushion with just 3.30 minutes gone into the opening quarter.
Al Jazira managed to open the scoring only after five minutes, and that too through a triple charity shots conversion from Rami Talaat.
Free-scoring Esmail Ahmad, shunted out by a fierce lunge from Rami Talaat during the opening period, returned with a heavily strapped leg to assist Sporting to a comfortable 25-14 lead by the end of the opening 10 minutes of play. Madison's contribution of 14 points was the highlight even as Al Jazira struggled to keep a lease on the American star.
Relying mostly on free shots, Al Jazira managed to keep pace as they nosed towards the Sporting total. But in stepped Brain Bechara to notch a quarter-high 11 points including one from outside the area to keep clear of the Egyptians at 47-34 by halftime.
With 4.15 minutes gone into the third, Al Jazira strove to shut down on the lead with a mere eight points separating the two at 52-46. And with Ali Mahmoud, Omar Al Turkh and Bechara with four personal fouls apiece, the Sporting coach saw his options waning.
But Madison stood tall and added another five points to his tally to keep the lead intact at 65-58.
Straying into the final quarter, it was Omar Al Turkh making all the difference as he soared in with two successive triples to put Sporting on track.
