Mohammed El Akkari has joined basketball’s elite century club after scoring 113 points in a Lebanese league game.
The guard led Moutahed to a 173-141 victory over Bejjeh in a Division A league game last week.
The website of world governing body, FIBA, says El Akkari is the first player to score more than 100 points in an official league game in any of its Asian national federations.
Two players have achieved the feat in non-league games.
Lou Salvador scored 116 points for the Philippines against China in the 1923 Far Eastern Games, while Jeron Teng landed 104 for Xavier School against Grace Christian College in a high school game in the Philippines.
The most famous player to score 100 points was Wilt Chamberlain, whose records still stands 50 years on. The closest player to reach that milestone in the NBA was Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant who scored 81 on January 22, 2006.
Akkari scored 32 three-pointers from 59 attempts and overall was 40-for-69 from the floor. He only had one free-throw.
It was uncharacteristic performance, considering the 27-year-old Akkari was averaging only 7.6 points in 23 games this season.
“I think it’s all a result of my practice,” Akkari said. “I also want to thank my coach for letting me play that long and all my teammates for helping.”
Coach Ahmad Fadel said he always figured Akkari had the potential to have a performance like that.
“He’s a phenomenal but a very underrated shooter. He puts in a lot of hard work in practice,” Fadel said. “I am not surprised.”
American teammate Austin Johnson said they knew early Akkari was headed for a big night.
“He starting out shooting the ball very well and just continued to go,” Johnson said.
“Our team realised that he was on fire, so we kept feeding him the ball. Congrats to Akkari on a record-setting night. He deserves it from the way he works and stays focused.”
by Buford Balony
