Swish Kebabs vs. Tund Team

 

Do I really need to say anything here? Swish Kebabs is going to blow this team out of the water the same way that Ghoul Squad did last week in the first half. Swish Kebabs starting lineup is very well rounded with a lot of shooters, and let's be real Raza is super quick and tough to stop him getting to the basket. Now, if Tund wants to neutralize this team. They'll need to get back and stop the transition firstly. If i was them, I would probably just man Raza and have everyone else sit in a zone. You'll have to live with Hafiz, Mahadye, and Sameh taking their shots. I don't know if they can man up, but hey that's the other option. Offensively, you're going to have to give that handsome guy Elias the ball and let him dominate.

 

Swish Kebabs wins by 15

 

SafayDucks vs. Ashak Attack

 

Gritty game here, I would not want to get caught in the paint with these guys. You have Sejad, Ali Rahmin, Jake, Slay, Baram all banging down low, pause. I pray for everyones safety in this matchup, but this is likely to be an emotional and high intensity game. Now, what do the SafayDucks have to do to win? Find the mismatch! Play team ball, move it around, someone should have a mismatch. If they leave Slay open, let him hit his open shots. If i'm you guys, I'm attacking Murtaza and forcing him to to make the defensive stops. If he's on Farhad, then screen for him and find ways to get him open looks. If you get their defense scrambling it'll open up the game for everyone else and they'll have to adjust. If they're in a zone, break down the zone by feeding the free throw line and looking for baseline guys or kicking out to your shooters. Keep it simple. Ashak Attack has been good offensively, Mahdi distributed the ball very well last week and was finding his men with open looks, they just need to keep capitalizing and playing through their star.

 

Ashak Attack wins by 7

 

Afghanimals vs. Ghoul Squad Battle of the Aminyar's, Dean vs. Mateen! The brothers match up head to head in an exciting game. Afghanimals have been struggling offensively with teams throwing double teams at Mateen and daring the rest of the team to score. Afghanimals needs to finish their easy opportunities and hit some shots. I think this team can be good but they need some confidence and shoot at a better percentage. Coach Muj has been deploying some great game plans, interested to see what he comes up with this week. On the flip side, Ghoul Squad had a full team last week and welcome back Fardeen who was a great addition on the court. The team was clicking on all cylinders last week, as long as they keep playing through Omari and Dean, this team will continue to shine.

 

Ghoul Squad by 10

1. Ashak Attack (2-0) -

 

Madhi didn't need to score this game, he was seeing doubles all game, stilll hit a middy with a man in his face and went 3/3 from downtown. Murtaza has been a stepping up his game, we'll continue to see him be an x-factor down the stretch. I mentioned this in my Week 1 Power Rankings, but if this kid can knock them down he'll this teams looking at a chip. Sejad has been a great supplemental player to this team, getting boards and finishing down low. I'd like to see more of that out of him, he should be the second most utilized player on the team.

 

2. Swish Kebabs (2-0) -

 

Another efficient game from Raza, it annoys me how he doesn't take any bad looks. Like dude, just have a bad game once in a while. Weiss is inching in on that double/double, it's loading. Mahadye and Sameh both need to be more efficient from the 3pt range to make this team dangerous. Looks like an off night for them. I didn't get to watch this game but I'm assuming the quick transition was too much for the White Ducks to handle.

 

3. Ghoul Squad (1-1) -

 

Great all around team game, their defensive scheme was on point. Dean Aminyar made it hell for Elias to try and cross anyone up from the outside. Dean is making a case for DPOY with his smothering defense and sticky fingers. Fardeen was the missing element the prior week, he made a difference opening up the offense and not allowing any double teams. The thing is, when Fardeen and Shoiab are present, they're the knock down shooters so you either deal with Omari/Dean heads up or you double and let the other two burn you. Jamil had a few travels, let's just say his frequent flyer miles might be maxed out. Ali Wahide with a 3 pointer this week might have been the showcase of the night, he definitely treated himself to a triple double heart attack style cheeseburger. Omari looked like his usual self, playing in rhythm and hitting his shots, quietly having a double/double.

 

4. Safayducks (1-1) -

 

Missing Arya was a big hit to this team, looks like they couldn't get anything going shooting a whopping 25% from the field. That percentage can't win you games. This team needs to be more efficient and only having 5 assists isn't helping. Please guys, move the ball, figure it out. You guys need to play like a team and move the ball and work together. Also been saying this teams needs to offload their size, won't work with that many bigs.

 

5. Afghanimals (0-2) -

 

Mateen needs some help on this squad, he was getting doubled and a great deal of defensive attention. You could see the frustration in the second half. Ali Azimson has been rebounding great, clearing on both the offensive and defensive side. He just needs to finish those easy put backs. The cumulative team needs to hit shots when Mateen draws the double. Muj had a great game plan going into this defensively but it didn't hold up in the second half. The team can start clicking at some point this season and move up to the #4 spot, let's see if it happens.

 

6. Tund Team (0-2) -

 

Elias is still a beast putting up great efficient numbers, but who's helping him out? One thing I'd like to see from Elias is his vision when he's taking the ball inside and has men collapsing on him. I think this team needs to make a trade whether that's offloading Elias for two good pieces or better surrounding players. Tund shot 1/26 from 3pt, and that is never a recipe for success. Team needs to put Elias in positions to carry his squad, whether that's screening or hitting open shots. The team hasn't jelled yet or figured out how to win games.

SafayDucks vs. Swish Kebabs -

 

Arya is missing this week, so the team will need to lean heavily on Jake, Farhad, and their bigs. These teams don't match up well at all so curious to see how these teams decide to strategize their defense. I don't think SafayDucks will be able to contain Raza and Sameh, especially in their quick transition offense. They should both have another explosive week. Both teams are at 1-0, but someone's going to have to take a loss here. If Weiss and Hafiz can control the paint defensively, I think that Swish Kebabs will be win over the SittingDucks.

 

Swish Kebabs win by 10

 

 

2. Ashak Attack vs. Afghanimals -

 

New acquisition in Reshad, should add some help to Mateen and the rest of the team. I don't think they have what it takes to stop Mahdi and his team. They have a pretty well rounded team and without Muj, well, they're a middle of the pack team. I expect Mahdi to have a bounce back game. I don't see Azimson being able to contain Baram on the boards. Coach Muj is going to have to come up with a very good game plan to stay in the mix here.

 

Ashak Attack wins by 7

 

 

Tund Team vs. Ghoul Squad -

 

Tund needs to get their offense situated, Zabi needs to realize he's an older guy and not try driving to the rim. Doesn't work man! The team needs to get Elias the ball and let him create and score. The supplemental players also need to finish their buckets when they get open shots. I'm expecting a big game out of Dean, there's no one on the other side of the ball that can guard him so I'd imagine he could have a big game between buckets and assists. 

 

Ghoul Squad wins by 11

1. Swish Kebabs - As of now, this team has shown guts and glory with a very difficult matchup for the season opener. Swish Kebabs trailed for most of the game behind ~6-8 points, but they wouldn't lay in the casket. This team fought tooth and nail, and maybe I should mention nose? Knocking Dean out of the game for a ~5 minute stretch caused a swing that they took advantage of and once they had the lead they weren't looking back. Raza was his normal self, facilitating and playing great team basketball while still quietly scoring a whopping 23 points. Weiss is making good use of his Peloton, if he keeps winning bets on that thing he'll continue to be a great contributor in the post and might even have a double/double this season. The main man of the night was Sameh, he put the Swish in the Kebabs from downtown.

 

 

2. Ashak Attack - The dumpling squad was on full on attack mode, Baram finally made an appearance dominating the boards, Mahdi had a cool 19, but he'll need to get that shooting percentage up, when he heats up from 3, the rest of the league is in trouble. He did a great job facilitating and finding his guys. Sejad was the most efficient player scoring another 19. This team is solid all around and they have all the pieces to make a run. If Murtaza can hit some of his jumpers more consistently that'll open up the floor for the rest of the guys, this young buck has the opportunity to make some waves.

 

 

3. Ghoul Squad - Hard fought game, but ultimately took a loss to a top team in the league. Ali Shoiab went 4/8 from the 3 pointer, hitting some clutch shots. Dean looks to be a star, as we all expected. He played great basketball finishing at the rim and facilitating like a true point guard. Elias B was doing great on the rebounds and finished his open looks being a great supporting cast. Omari needs to find ways to score more, this week he took a step back to facilitate and find an open man. The supporting players need to finish around the rim and learn how to break down the zone defense. First game together, they took care of the ball and limited turnovers and had great ball movement. I expect this team to only get better going forward.

 

 

4. Safayducks - For now, I'll put this team at #4, but they could easily slide behind Afghanimals. They should have won this game with ease, and instead it went into double OT. Slay had some crucial turnovers in the game, he needs to clean that up and stop trying to cross people up dribble up the court, not your job bro! Farhad was a BUCKET and hit a clutch 3 to bring the game into OT, he's still a sniper, don't leave this guy open. Jake, Jake, Jake, when he draws the double he needs to kick the ball. He's a great player but just needs to take what the game gives him instead of forcing his way into the paint. When Jake sat in the first half, the ball started to move and everyone got involved. That's how the game needs to be with Jake on the court. The team also needs to get on the same page and not be so heated in the huddle and stay composed. They have the most potential, it just needs to be unlocked. Arya had to force a lot of his looks, I mentioned this in a previous post, but they need to find ways to get him open and shooting.

 

 

5. Afghanimals - No Muj/Fawad. Missing their first and third rounder. This game would've been a walk through if they were at full strength. Mateen put the team on his back scoring 19 and getting his players involved. Rahim was a surprising new player, his shot looks like a knuckleball but he can be a great contributor on this team. Once they find out Muj's diagnoses, they'll have more clarity on what the team looks like going forward. Also with Fawod, that'll bring a veteran presence with a guy that can do it all. He'll be a great combination and help Mateen out.

 

 

6. Tund Team - Can't say I didn't call this one, Tund lost by 18. Elias had his usual double/double, He needs some help and his supporting cast needs to make their buckets. This team's going to have a tough season, but they need to figure out what works for them or hit the trade block.

We will win the league. Screenshot this

Safayducks vs. Afghanimals 8PM

 

Very interesting game here. On team Safayducks you have a plethora of big bodies. They should look to control the tempo of this game and force Afghanimals to play in half court sets. Here's where I see them getting broken down. They don't have any real guards outside of Arya and Jake as a defender is eh well, may as well be casper the ghost. Slay and Ali Rahmeen will control and dominate the boards but can their zone rotate appropriately to close out on the shooters? That's where Muj and Mateen come in, if they hit their shots they'll have a 10 point lead at half. What happens when Jake is down? He'll start to short circuit and the team will crash so I'm hoping he can keep his composure when the pressure is on. If Safayducks can control the tempo and feed the ball inside or penetrate and dish for easy layups or kick outs to Ali Farhad, they can be pretty dangerous. It's interesting to think how these teams will gel together on both sides of the ball. Afghanimals is probably going to look to transition the ball quickly and not let Safayducks set up.

 

Afghanimals win by 14

 

Ghoul Squad vs. Swish Kebabs 9PM

 

It's tough to root against my own team, Ghoul Squad's probably the most gritty defensive team IMO and have one of the best 3 point shooters in the league. Containing Raza is going to be the focal point and whether or not he can create for the rest will be the determining factor for his team. He'll need to draw doubles and find ways to get his guys in positions to score. Very curious to see how Swish Kebabs plans to stop the Ghoul Squad on the offensive end. If Ghoul Squad plays team balls and limits turnovers, I don't see them losing.

 

Ghoul Squad wins by 8

 

Tund Team vs. Ashak Attack 10PM

 

This game is really Tund, but it'll be Shore for them real quick. They're going to see what Mahdi's size 13 shoe feels like right up the wazoo. I think Mahdi's team is going to be unstoppable against them. Elias is going to have to carry this team, I think that they'll lose just based off their turnovers and taking bad shots. We've heard murmurs of a couple sleeper picks that Ashak made in the draft.

 

Ashak Attack wins by 20

As we count down to the start of the season, the buzz is all about these players who could potentially take home the coveted MVP award. Let's dive into the top contenders:

 

 

The Dominators

 

Elias Shahsamand:

This force of nature imposes his will on the court, and opponents tremble at the thought of facing him. With the ability to average 30 points and 20 rebounds any given week, he's a nightmare to match up against. Can he maintain his dominance and lead his team to the top?

 

Jake Wallizadeh:

Another dominant force, Jake's a bucket-getting machine with an arsenal of moves inside and out. He's a rebounding beast and a playmaker extraordinaire. If he can fine-tune his efficiency and free throw shooting, he's got MVP written all over him.

 

 

The Scoring Machines

 

Ali Hassan:

Arguably the most talented player in the ABA currently, this league record holder for most points in a game is a scoring phenom. With his incredible ability to put up points in bunches, he's a threat every time he steps onto the court. Can he keep his team afloat and make a deep playoff run?

 

Dean Aminyar:

The clutch shooter and winner led the league in scoring his rookie season with an astonishing 34+ points per game on his way to a championship. With his playmaking skills and winning mentality, he's a force to be reckoned with.

 

 

The All-Arounders

 

Mateen Aminyar:

This Swiss Army knife can do it all – score, defend, rebound, and get buckets in transition. With his solid all-around game, he's a dark horse for MVP.

 

Ali Omari:

One of the league's best defenders, Ali's high IQ and unselfish play make him a valuable asset. He's a scoring threat, elite rebounder, and team-first player. Can he lead by example and take his team to the top?

 

Raza Nassim:

This lightning-fast point guard is a super unselfish master playmaker with incredible efficiency. If he can develop a lethal outside shot, he'll be nearly unguardable. Watch out, opponents!

 

 

Mujtaba Shahsamand:

The 🐐 of NJ Afghan basketball, is making his return to the court after a 2-year hiatus. Though a bit past his prime, he still possesses elite skills and playmaking abilities. The question is, what does he have left in the tank? Will he dominate like old times or will the layoff affect his game? One thing's for sure – his return is a major event, and we're all excited to see what this basketball icon brings.

ABA Season 6 is coming, and I've got the scoop on the players to watch! These guys are bringing the heat, and we're hyped!

 

 

*Sameh Shahsamand*:

This guy's been grinding hard, and it shows. He's in tip top shape and been hitting the gym with 🏀 trainers, and we're expecting big things. Can he keep the momentum going all season? I'm betting yes! He's a strong contender for Most Improved Player.

 

 

*Sejjad Kiyam*:

Sophomore slump? Not this guy! He's been on fire, dropping monster stat lines last season and showing us flashes of what he's got in Muslim Basketball League lately. League MVP? Maybe not this summer, but i'm keeping an eye on him.

 

 

*Elias Bakhtiar*:

Last season's rookie sensation is back, and we're excited to see him take it to the next level. He's a rebounding machine and a force to be reckoned with around the hoop. Can he lead his team to another deep run?

 

 

*Arya Ahmad*:

This triple-double threat is on a roll! He's a scoring machine, a playmaker, and a rebounder extraordinaire. With Jake Wallizadeh by his side, we might just see some magic happen on the court. Can he lead his team to a championship? Last time he had a beast like Jake, was Elias Shahsamand and that was a title season. 

 

 

Get ready for an epic season of hoops, folks! These players are bringing the energy, and I can't wait to see what they do!

 

*The Tund Team* – I don’t know how Tund e Taze this team can get. Ahmad received the first overall pick and went with Elias, who’s a great individual player. He can give you twenty points a game, the only part of elias needing to evolve is his mentality. If he can learn how to break teams down and not only play the iso game he can be even more dangerous. Looking at the rest of this team, zabi is an interesting pick. Word on the street is he hasn’t been playing much lately, so is he ready to take a back seat and be a role player? If he can, he will be valuable spot up shooter on this team. Mobasher is a money ball from the 3 and a great team player, along with Naweed. Both soccer studs have motors on them and can keep up with anyone. Ahmad himself is a great defensive player and rebounder. 
*Grade: C*

 

 

*Afghanimals* – Somehow, Muj convinced the commissioners that he should be a second rounder. We’ll see if he’s a mere shell of his former self or he’ll just cruise through regular season and become the terminator during playoffs. We’ll just have to wait and see how bad we got played. Muj and Mateen should be quite a combination of shifty guards that have a high IQ and find out how they can beat teams in different ways. I really like the pick of Fawod Hashimi, he’s an old head but he’s still in shape and can run with anyone. He understands the game very well, can rebound, set screens, play defense, and hit shots. What more could you ask for? Azimson is another soccer player who will need to play their “big” role. This team may lack in rebounding unless he can step up. Amir Anwar is a player that demands shots, can he adapt to the way of the Muj? Or will there be conflict? Let’s see how this shakes out.
*Grade: B+*

 

 

*Ashak Attack* – Mahdi is the best player in the league right now. With his size 13 feet, he’ll have you shifting in 3 different directions. Fellas, protect your ankles when playing defense. Interesting team here, I don’t know much about these guys. I do know that Baram is a brick shithouse, but he hasn’t had a consistent season of attendance. 
*Grade: C+*

 

 

*Safayducks* – Jake somehow pulled off getting first choice at where he wanted to draft so he landed the first pick of the second round with Arya. This team is straight up hell fire. Can you imagine this squad getting pissed? This team is either going to crush you, or they might bury Jake behind the gym and call it a day. Jake needs to keep his cool and quit all the 5 year old antics. Arya is a rising star that’s been an efficient shooter, the team needs to make him a focal point and look to get him the ball and keep him engaged. Ali Rameen and Sol are two big bodies that can rebound and even hit some open shots. Ali Akbar is a wrecking ball, try getting around a screen from him, not happening. The two saleh’s are probably the best motivators in the league, while they can motivate you to buy a chicken and rice, they’ll get you to bust your ass just as easily on the court. Any team playing against them is going to be hurting the next morning, guaranteed.
*Grade: A-*

 

 

*Shawarma Shooters* – Raza has an interesting team but you can never count him out, he knows how to play good basketball and is a very smart player. He’ll have to put the team on his back this season and look to his shooters to capitalize on him penetrating and creating looks. Hafiz, Sameh, and Madi are all shooters, so this team can get spicy from the 3pt line. Also, they have Weiss. Any team he’s on, you can’t count out, we all know you “win with Weiss” not lose. Weiss is also the only big man on the team so they’re going to need him to get busy on the boards. 
*Grade: B-*

 

 

*Ghoul Squad* – Well, well, well Omari has decided to be a captain and this team looks to be very well rounded. Dean’s a young star that’s had a year to grow and learn the game, as if he wasn’t already a sniper from the 3 point line. Elias B and Omari are going to have to be the creators, setting screens and controlling the paint. Don’t they kind of remind you of those two knuckleheads from Mighty ducks? Anyways, they picked up Shoiab, who’s a gritty player that can hit those open 3’s. Fardeen and Omari had good chemistry a few seasons ago almost winning a championship, Fardeen will need to be efficient and finish his open looks. If he’s patient, he’ll be a nice role player on this team. Wahide was a good late round pick, he’s a bulldozer that’ll board and get the dirty work done.
*Grade: A-*