- 14:45
Riyadi Beirut controlled NSA with ease, while La Sagesse Beirut had to fight until the very last second to overcome Homenetmen. A look back at a contrasting evening, where one cruised to victory while the other had to battle hard to win.
Riyadi and La Sagesse remain unbeaten and continue their perfect run in the Lebanese Basketball Championship. Reigning champions Riyadi Beirut cruised past NSA without breaking a sweat, while La Sagesse Beirut had to fight until the last second to edge Homenetmen Beirut in a nail-biting finish on matchday 5. A night of contrasts, with one team rolling to victory and the other scraping through in dramatic fashion.
Riyadi Dominates NSA
At the Saib Salam – Manara Arena, Riyadi imposed their authority with a 95-79 win over NSA. In control from start to finish, the Yellow squad dictated the pace, winning all four quarters (23-19, 27-19, 24-20, 21-21).
Spanish center Iliman Diop delivered a standout performance, recording a double-double (26 points, 14 rebounds), with strong support from Wael Arakji (17 points, 5 assists). Veteran Ismail Ahmad contributed 11 points and 3 rebounds, while Hayk Gyokchyan added 9 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
On the other side, NSA fought back with efforts from Troy Baxter (13 points), Derrick Jean (12 points, 8 assists) and Mike Haddad (11 points, 5 rebounds). However, Riyadi’s dominance on the boards (34-28) and their superior three-point shooting (10-of-21 compared to NSA’s 5-of-25) proved decisive.
La Sagesse Pulls Off a Stunning Comeback Against Homenetmen
In a packed Antoine Choueiry – Ghazir Arena, La Sagesse had to battle until the final buzzer to secure a 100-99 victory over Homenetmen Beirut. Trailing by 12 points with five minutes left, the Greens mounted a spectacular comeback, capitalizing on four missed free throws by Gabriel Ajemyan in the dying moments.
American guard Zach Lofton led La Sagesse’s charge with 32 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, while Shabazz Muhammad dominated the paint with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Gerard Hadidian (15 points)and Ater Majok (8 points, 10 rebounds) also played key roles.
For Homenetmen, Jordan Stevens delivered a phenomenal performance with 39 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists, but his efforts weren’t enough to secure the win. Gary Chivichyan (21 points), Gabriel Ajemyan (16 points) and Boat Aluk (14 points, 10 rebounds) had the upper hand for most of the game but fell just short of the upset.
With this victory, La Sagesse remains unbeaten in what was an absolutely thrilling showdown.
Comments