Chachmoni Macon Owns the Glass and Other Week 2 Highlights
Week 2 action at Open Gym Premier brought us a series of hard-fought battles, with four teams now sitting pretty at 2-0 while others are looking to recalibrate. The energy was high across all six matchups, showcasing the kind of grit and hustle that makes our division so much fun to watch. Let’s dive into the results from a busy Sunday on the court.
The Games
Late Bloomers 48, Wolfpack 37
The Late Bloomers remain undefeated after methodically dismantling the Wolfpack. Asif Qureshi led the charge for the winners, putting up 16 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in a polished performance. Umar Patel was a force near the rim, hauling in 14 boards while adding 2 blocks to anchor the defense. For the Wolfpack, Mahroze Baloch fought hard with 6 points and 7 rebounds, while Danish Haider chipped in 8 points. The Bloomers’ ability to share the load on offense ultimately kept the Wolfpack at arm’s length.
Goon Squad 54, Tablighi Jumpers 47
In a back-and-forth affair, the Goon Squad secured a hard-earned victory behind a balanced scoring attack. Muhammad Aslam paced the winners with 16 points, while Mohammed Khalaf contributed 14 points and 6 rebounds. The Jumpers were kept in the mix largely by Raihaan Khan, who put on a shooting display with 19 points, including four shots from deep. Despite Aasim Akhtar’s 8 rebounds for the Goon Squad, the Jumpers stayed close until the final minutes. Eventually, Muneeb Moulvi and Aaquib Moulvi each hit double figures to help the Goon Squad pull away.
Apollo-7 50, Pushing 30 40
Apollo-7 showcased their depth in a controlled victory over Pushing 30. Ibrahim Ellahi hit four three-pointers to finish with 18 points, and Arslan Rehman added 16 points while doing a little bit of everything. Pushing 30 kept it competitive through Hussein Darwiche, who scored 12 points on efficient 5-of-7 shooting, and Charlton Romualdez, who was a menace on defense with 4 steals and 8 rebounds. While Pushing 30 kept the pressure on, Apollo-7’s ability to draw fouls and convert at the stripe proved to be the difference-maker.
Just Keep 46, Mamdanicks 43
The closest game of the week saw Just Keep survive a narrow scare against the Mamdanicks. Sunny Tariq and Nick Llamas led the winning effort with 13 points apiece, with Tariq hitting three shots from beyond the arc. The Mamdanicks were nearly fueled by a dominant outing from Ahmad Abdelkarim, who recorded 14 points and 9 rebounds before eventually fouling out. Hans Mendez added 10 points and 3 assists in the losing effort, but Just Keep’s late-game composure held the line. Zeeshan Ahmed’s 6 rebounds provided the necessary support to keep the Mamdanicks' comeback attempt just out of reach.
Sand Ninjas 43, Chaos 33
The Sand Ninjas moved to 2-0 with a steady win against a tough Chaos squad. Amaar Ashraf was lights out from three-point range, hitting three triples for 9 points, while Adam Jaber and Anas Tresh provided a solid foundation on both ends of the floor. Chaos relied heavily on the scoring of Zian Ibrahim, who drained four three-pointers to finish with 12 points. Ahmed Ahmed also contributed 6 points and 5 rebounds, but the Ninjas’ depth—led by Raheem Mahbubbi’s 7 points and John Payan’s hustle—kept the game securely in their favor.
Black Mambas 42, ICH 22
The Black Mambas delivered the most dominant performance of the weekend. The story of the night was undeniably Chachmoni Macon, who put together a statistical masterpiece. Macon stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, a massive 16 rebounds, and 5 assists, showing complete control over the pace of the game. Basim Awan and Zain Asif each added 11 points (with Asif hitting three treys) to round out the offense. ICH struggled to find their rhythm, though Younes Djema fought hard for 11 rebounds and 7 points. It was a statement win for the Mambas, who dictated the tempo from the opening tip.
Honors
This week’s leaders were defined by sheer effort, with Raihaan Khan’s 19 points for the Jumpers and Ahmad Abdelkarim’s 28.3 game score for the Mamdanicks standing out as top-tier individual performances. We also saw some gritty defensive play, notably Charlton Romualdez’s 4-steal effort and Umar Patel’s double-digit rebounding night.
Our Player of the Week is Chachmoni Macon, who recorded a monster 47.7 game score with 11 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 assists. He controlled the glass and the offense in a truly complete performance for the Black Mambas.
Looking Ahead
Next Sunday features a marquee matchup between the 2-0 Just Keep and the 1-1 ICH. Just Keep is rolling after their nail-biter this week, but they’ll have their hands full with an ICH squad looking to get back on track after a rough outing. Tune in to see if the Just Keep momentum continues or if ICH can force their way back into the top half of the standings.