SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 2020 16 Riffa, Najma claim big wins

Both games were played at Riffa stunned the Khalifa Sports City arena in • Isa Town. Muharraq in Basketball With both results, Riffa League’s Top Six Division claimed only their second win in the Top Six while handing Najma claimed Muharraq their first loss in four KNOW WHAT victory• over Al Hala games. Najma, on the other hand, were able to claim their first victory of this stage while Defending champions TDT | Manama Hala suffered their fourth loss Muharraq faced their and remained winless. first defeat this season iffa and Al Najma were Riffa pulled off a thrilling win both victorious last night against their opponents who Rin the Top Six Division made an exciting late-game rally of the 2019/2020 Zain Bahrain to force the extra session. Mu- Basketball League. harraq were down 54-61 follow- Bader Abdulla Malabes, helped Riffa stunned previously un- ing an Ali Abbas basket for Riffa, send the contest into overtime. defeated defending champions but then seven straight points in Younes Kuwayed had one last Muharraq 70-69 in overtime, the final minute-and-a-half of chance to steal the win and break while Najma powered to a re- regulation, including four from the 61-all deadlock for Riffa but sounding 87-69 victory over Al American Kevin Murphy and a he missed his three-point at- Hala. game-tying three-pointer from tempt from the right corner and US import Joseph Jones couldn’t convert his put-back. In overtime, Riffa struck first with an Ali Abbas triple but an Ahmed Hassan Aldurazi three gave Muharraq a 67-66 advan- tage later on. An Ali Shukrallah basket kept Muharraq ahead 69- 68 with under two minutes left, Najma’s Giles looks to take a jump shot against his Hala defender but then two free-throws from Kuwayed with 55 seconds to go Kuwayed finished with 18, 10 Giles was making his debut for Mansour Kasse had 19 points put Riffa back in front for good, rebounds and six assists while the victors and he exceeded ex- and 22 rebounds. Hasan Gerashi and they were eventually the last team captain Abdulrahman Gha- pectations with a mind-boggling added 11 and eight but he was two baskets of the game. li had 14 and 10 rebounds. Abbas 32 points, 32 rebounds and five their only other player in dou- Malabes had a chance to win chipped in with nine as Riffa blocked shots. ble-digit scoring. it for Muharraq right before the were able to win without any Ali Jaber chipped in with 16 League action continues to- final buzzer, but his three-point of their bench players scoring a points and nine rebounds while night with two games scheduled shot in transition clanged off the single point. Fadalallah Abbas added 15 points in the Silver Division, which is front of the rim. For Muharraq, who had a and eight assists. Skipper Qassim for the league’s bottom six clubs. Jones finished with 27 points woeful shooting night from the Hassan finished with 10 points At 5.45pm, Sitra take on Al Et- to lead Riffa. He also had 17 re- field, Murphy and Aldurazi had and eight assists. tihad, after which at 7.30pm, bounds and four blocked shots 17 apiece while Malabes scored Najma led by as many as 23 Bahrain Club face off with Nu- while playing every minute of 14 and Skuhrallah 13. points in the game. waidrat. Action in the Top Six Riffa captain Ghali gestures as Riffa inch closer to their win over Muharraq the game. In Najma’s win, big man CJ For Hala, Senegalese import resumes on Wednesday.

Stones must improve fitness Real dismantle gutsy Getafe record to fulfil potential: Guardiola AFP | Madrid Reuters | London

eal Madrid made an impres- anchester City manager Rsive start to the year as they MPep Guardiola believes He has the conditions picked apart a robust Getafe John Stones has the ability to do it, but to be the side to win 3-0 in on to become one of the best de- best central defender Saturday. fenders in the world but said you have to play one Raphael Varane was the in- he will not reach his poten- entire season, every stigator of two goals at the Col- tial until he stays fit for long iseum Alfonso Perez, first pres- periods. three days being there suring Getafe David Soria into a Stones last featured for City PEP GUARDIOLA missed punch and an own-goal in a 2-1 Premier League de - before himself heading home a feat by Manchester United last League Two side Port Vale on cross from Toni Kroos. month and has been restricted Saturday after recovering from Luka Modric then added a to just 12 club appearances this his third thigh injury of the third deep into injury-time after season. campaign. a brilliant first-time pass by Ga- The 25-year-old is likely to “He has the conditions to reth Bale had set Madrid away return to City’s do it, but to be the best central on the counter-attack. starting defender you have to play one Victory sends Zinedine Zi- lineup for entire season, every three days dane’s side top of the table the FA being there,” Guardiola told a briefly at least, one point above Cup third news conference. Barcelona, who play later on round “I don’t know why he has Saturday against Catalan rivals match not been able to play regularly. Espanyol. against We try to help him. We have Getafe remain seventh and tried to do the best to help him very much in the race for Cham- since the first day of the 3-1/2 pions League qualification. An- years we have been here. We other excellent season under Raphael Varane of Real Madrid scores his team’s second goal do everything for him. coach Jose Bordalas is proving “It depends on him. It’s in last year’s remarkable top-four Instead, they keep the pres- scored in the second half, only lan Nyom particularly eager to his hands and in his head to challenge was far from a fluke. sure on Barcelona before travel- to tee up Modric via substitute make his presence felt on Bale become one of the best.” But their usually stubborn de- ling to Saudi Arabia next week, Fede Valverde. early on. In the absence of Stones, fence was overly-generous as where they could be set for a At the other end, Thibaut Yet one late challenge too City have been forced to play Soria’s mistake and then a free Clasico final in the Spanish Su- Courtois appears finally to be many earned Nyom a yellow Brazilian midfielder Fer- header put Madrid in charge be- per Cup, with Valencia up first finding his best form after a card and Madrid a dangerous nandinho and 18-year-old fore Modric complete what was, on Wednesday in the last four. rocky start since his summer free-kick that led to the opener Eric Garcia in centre in the end, a comfortable win. Hazard will stay at home af- move from Chelsea. Courtois shortly after the half-hour mark. back positions over the Without either Sergio Ramos, ter Zidane confirmed on Friday made three strong saves before Kroos’ cross was put back festive period. who was suspended, or Eden the Belgian will not return until Varane’s second gave Madrid in by Ferland Mendy on the Barcelona academy graduate Hazard, who continues to nurse later this month at the earliest. breathing space. opposite side and while Soria Garcia has impressed Guardi- an ankle injury, this looked an His worryingly extended Getafe’s success under Bor- sprung out to punch, he failed John ola with his tactical maturity, awkward fixture for Zidane’s absence has offered a reprieve dalas has been built upon te - to connect and only succeeded Stones having helped City to victo- team on the back of a two-week for Isco, who started again, and nacity as well as discipline and in sending the ball bobbling into ries over Sheffield United and winter break. Bale, who twice should have hard work, with right-back Al- his own net. Everton.