The International School of Choueifat Abu Dhabi (ISCAD) and Emirates International School (EIS) secured the last two spots in the final four of the High School Basketball Championship with wins at Al Nasr Club yesterday.
– #Quiz360: WIN dinner for 2 at Jumeira Rotana, Dubai
ISCAD were spurred by guard Majd Dahdah, who filled up the stat sheet with 16 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the 47-32 win over Lycee Georges Pompidou (LGP).
Dahdah connected throughout the contest with team-mate Deeb Meshal, who scored a game-high 19 points. Meshal burned LGP on fast breaks by taking off on missed shots and turnovers from his spot at the top of the 1-2-2 zone, while Dahdah delivered the outlet passes and broke down the defence in the half court.
“I think how they pressed us gave us more space under the basket, so I could pass to guys cutting under the basket,” Dahdah said. “[Meshal] is really fast and he can finish the ball. So you just throw the ball over the defender and he can always finish.”
LGP forward Timothee Bruce recorded a double-double, netting 15 points and grabbing 12 boards.
After being knocked out of the quarter-finals last year, ISCAD take another step forward and will play Bradenton Prep in the semis next weekend.
In the first game of the day, Emirates International School finished off Choueifat Sharjah (ISCS) 39-25 in a defensive, grind-it-out affair.
ISCS scored the first basket of the game, but EIS didn’t trail the rest of the way as they got solid performances up and down the roster.
Saeed Al Rais was the high-man with 12 points to go with four assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks. “My shooting was off in the beginning, but then as I got on, I just kept my confidence and it went in,” Al Rais said.
