Ahmed Haji smashes FIBA three-point record

BAHRAIN: Ahmed Haji could not miss on Friday, as he led Bahrain to a 76-71 victory against Syria in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup qualifiers.

Haji broke the record for most three pointers in a Continental Cup Qualifiers game just 24 hours after Chris Goulding set it by hitting nine shots from deep against Thailand. However, Bahrain’s Haji scored two more, hitting eleven shots in a row from beyond the arc against Syria.

RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE

Haji had an incredible 35 points, 33 of which came from his 11 three pointers. He shot at an unbelievable 84.62 per cent clip from beyond the arc, as he only missed two of his thirteen attempts from deep.

The Bahrain sniper’s catch-and-shoot excellence began in the a little over two minutes into the first quarter. Bahrain passed up an easy two pointer, passing the ball out to Haji who drained his first three of the game. He would sink another three a minute and some change later from the top-of-the-key, giving Bahrain a 11-10 lead.

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With less than two minutes left in the quarter, the five-foot nine Haji hit another corner three, this time shooting over Syria’s six-foot seven Christian James Maran. Soon after, at the very end of the quarter, Bahrain’s Ali Rashed would drive into the lane, pulling two defenders with him before he kicked it out to Haji who was left wide open at the top-of-the-key for his fourth three of the game.

Haji would start the second quarter right where he left off the first, hitting another three, this time from the left wing as his teammates continued to feed the man that was becoming a nightmare for Syria. Growing in confidence, Haji would try his luck off the dribble, as he lined up directly in front of the basket before hitting another shot not long after his last.

Bahrain’s would continue their strategy of congesting the lane to create space for Haji, allowing the three-point specialist to score his third three of the quarter, this time from the right wing.

Another shot from deep would drop through Syria’s net near the beginning of the third quarter, after Bahrain’s six-foot eight Devon Dwayne Chism was double teamed, creating ample space for Haji on the right corner.

Just seconds later, Syria’s Amauri Jeremiah Hardy would turn the ball over on a bad pass, leading to a long pass down the floor to Haji who pulled up from the right wing to hit a three in transition.

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A minute later Haji would hit his tenth three in ten attempts, as Bahrain’s Mustafa Rashed stuck to what was working, driving into the lane before finding the man who couldn’t miss wide open on the left corner. Haji would hit his final three of the game with six minutes and 25 seconds left in the third quarter. Syria didn’t learn their lesson, as their defenders crowded the right side of the court, leaving Haji wide open on the left wing once again. He hit his 11TH three of the match, breaking the Continental Cup Qualifiers all-time record.