Bahrain stay unbeaten after pulling away late vs Malaysia
Third straight win for the Kingdom in the William Jones Cup
Bahrain continued their unbeaten run at the 44th William Jones Cup with an 81–69 win over Malaysia on Monday morning in New Taipei City, improving their record to 3–0. The result follows back-to-back wins over Japan U25 (85–69) and hosts Chinese Taipei White (71–63).
After a tight first half in which Bahrain trailed by three late in the second quarter, a 25-point third period shifted momentum decisively. Mustafa Rashed led Bahrain's scoresheet with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including five threes, while Jakarr Sampson added 22 points and 7 rebounds.
Quarter-by-Quarter
Malaysia opened with a close first half, staying within striking distance. They trailed just 15–13 after the opening quarter and briefly took the lead before Bahrain responded. The sides went into the break with Bahrain narrowly ahead, 35–38.
The third quarter, however, saw Bahrain turn the screws defensively, holding Malaysia to just 10 points while pouring in 25 of their own behind key buckets from Sampson and Ahmed Bindayneh.
Despite a 21-point fourth-quarter effort from Malaysia, Bahrain closed the game out comfortably.
Standouts and stats
Beyond Rashed and Sampson, Subah Azzam had a solid outing with 8 points and 2 threes in just 20 minutes. Devon Chism contributed 8 points and 11 rebounds, while Ali Rashed provided playmaking off the bench with 4 assists and efficient minutes.
Defensively, Bahrain held Malaysia to 38.8% shooting, including just 24.1% from three, and dominated the glass with 43 total rebounds. Bahrain's 22 team assists reflected strong ball movement and rhythm in halfcourt sets.
Malaysia were led by Yi Hou Wong, who scored 27 points, but received little support, with only Chun Hong Ting (18 points) also reaching double figures.
What's next?
Bahrain's next opponent is Australia United tomorrow at 8AM, followed by matchups against the UAE, Qatar B, Chinese Taipei, and Strong Group Athletics across a packed week.
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