DISASTER struck at the worst possible time for Strong Group as a three-pointer at the buzzer from Ismail Abdelmoneim lifted Al-Riyadi to a dramatic 77-74 win in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship final on Monday morning.
With the score tied at 74-all in the final 30 seconds of play, a missed three-pointer from Andre Roberson (24 points, 13 rebounds) opened the way for tournament MVP Wael Arakji who, with the door for a shot closed, found Abdelmoneim open for the game-winner right at the buzzer.
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Trailing by as much as 19, a gallant stand from Roberson & Co. fell just short as they suffered their only defeat in eight games in the tournament and settled for second place behind the defending champions, who also beat them in the Final 8 last year.
Down 12-3 early followed by multiple Al-Riyadi breakaway runs, the Philippine side had its worst start to any game in the tournament after going 1-of-11 from beyond the arc at the half — with Andray Blatche hitting the lone trey.
Strong Group's lost fire was later reignited in a third-quarter storm capped by a momentum-shifting 23-2 scoring spree led by Roberson, Jordan Heading (17 points), and McKenzie Moore (12 points, five rebounds) who was later stretchered off the court with an apparent thigh injury.
Come the final frame, back-to-back triples from Heading and Roberson gave Strong Group the upper hand with its biggest lead at four.
Unfazed by the late turnaround, however, the reigning champs stormed back with an eight-point counter-charge. It was then followed by a 7-2 response from Roberson, Dwight Howard (18 points, 12 rebounds), and Heading's game-tying triple at 74-all before Al-Riyadi's winning blow was soon dealt at the buzzer.
Strong Group's leading scorer Kevin Quiambao, who was selected to the All-Tournament Team, fired blanks all-game long and did not register a single point in only five field goal attempts in 37 minutes of play.
The scores:
Al Riyadi (77) - Harries 23, Arakji 16, Abdelmoneim 10, Kikanovic 7, Zeinoun 6, Gyokchyan 5, Sakakini 5, Saoud 3, Mansour 2, Tabbara 0, Daboul DNP, Ziade DNP.
Strong Group (74) - Roberson 24, Howard 18, Heading 17, Moore 12, Blatche 3, Quiambao 0, Baltazar 0, Escandor 0, Cagulangan 0, Liwag DNP, Sanchez DNP, Ynot DNP.
Quarterscores: 22-12, 46-32, 61-57, 77-74.
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