The assistant coach of Al Ahli Youth basketball team, Saeed Atiq, revealed three main factors that led to 'Dubai Knights' not suffering any losses in the second leg of the preliminary round of the league championship and seizing the top spot in the general standings. These factors included achieving the required harmony, the return of several absent players, and the team's overall form. This came after the team's victory over Sharjah with a score of (93-68) in the 14th and final round of this stage. Saeed Atiq told 'Al-Ittihad' that the team suffered from the pressure of multiple competitions last season, especially away games, and finishing its season in late June last year after participating in the Asian Club Championship had a negative impact on the short summer preparation period. This prevented 'The Knights' from achieving the required readiness to start the new season, so the main task during the away leg of the league's preliminary round was to gradually improve the team's cohesion, especially with the new signings of foreign professionals. The return of absent players, such as Hamed Abdul Latif, Saeed Mubarak, and Talal Salem, had a major impact in the second leg, helping the team regain its strength on the court and not lose seven consecutive matches. This was enough in the final round to seize the top spot with 26 points. Atiq said they faced the Sharjah match with significant absences, most notably the Senegalian center Hassan Boue, classified as a resident. However, the return of other elements provided more options on the court, including Hamed Abdul Latif, who scored 19 points, along with the vital role played by the team's 'brain', point guard Saeed Mubarak, and the strong defensive performance of our player Talal Salem. Regarding the third factor, Atiq said the accumulated experience of the team's players from their current participation in the West Asian Basketball League and the strength of the matches had a positive impact on the development of performance rates locally, including the continued brilliance of American player DeShondy Washington, who is in his second consecutive season with the team and is delivering outstanding levels, not only in the local league but also by winning the best player of the match award for more than one consecutive match in the West Asian Basketball League. It is worth noting that Al Ahli Youth finished the first half of the preliminary round in mid-November last year in third place with 12 points, one point behind both Al Nasr and Sharjah, who shared the lead. This was after 'Dubai Knights' suffered two defeats in the away leg against 'An-Najaf' (73-79) and 'Al-Malik' (106-110) in the third and seventh rounds, respectively. However, Al Ahli Youth succeeded in the second leg by recording seven consecutive victories, including taking revenge on Al Nasr (101-73) in the tenth round, and the latest victory over Sharjah was enough to end the preliminary round in first place.
