- 13:20
The reigning champions kicked things off the right way. Victorious 86-81 in Manara, Riyadi leads 1-0 against La Sagesse in this best-of-seven finals series. The Greens, beaten for the sixth time this season by the Yellows, must react on Sunday to avoid finding themselves already up against the wall.
Even without its king, Riyadi keeps the crown in sight.
In the absence of their playmaker Wael Arakji, who is sidelined with a shoulder injury from the Asian Champions League, the reigning champions didn’t flinch. On Friday night, in a packed and heated Saïb Salam arena, the Yellows dominated their eternal rivals La Sagesse (86-81) to take the lead in the Lebanese First Division championship finals.
A Classic with a Déjà Vu Taste
This victory marks Riyadi’s sixth consecutive win over the Greens this season (3 in the league, 3 in the WASL). And the Manara club hasn’t lost to La Sagesse on its home court since… 2016. Whether the curse continues in Ghazir on Sunday remains to be seen, but Linos Gavriel’s men are struggling to break through the Yellow ceiling.
The Match
Though the first minutes were tightly contested (24-16, 23-27 at halftime), Riyadi pulled ahead by as much as 12 points during various quarters, without ever truly shaking off their persistent opponent. La Sagesse came back, threatened, but never managed to take the lead.
Electric Atmosphere
In a blazing atmosphere, more than 2,000 spectators attended this high-intensity first game. Among them were Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and his wife Sahar Baasiri, MP Jihad Pakradouni, Federation President Akram Halabi, and a charged crowd of fans from both sides.
A Strong Collective Effort
In the absence of Arakji and Amir Saoud, it was Australian Thon Maker who stepped up with a dominant stat line: 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks! Hayk Gyokchyan (16 pts, 9 rebounds) and Marcus Hunt (13 pts, 6 assists) held the fort, well supported by Ali Mansour (12 pts, 7 assists) and American Keron Deshields (12 pts).
The Greens Respond — But Can’t Close
La Sagesse gave a solid fight. French-Guinean Sekou Doumbouya impressed (22 pts, 11 rebounds, 4 assists), as did Omar Jamaleddine (17 pts, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks). American point guard Stefan Moody (16 pts, 8 rebounds, 4 assists) and Gérard Hadidian (14 pts) also contributed — but it wasn’t enough to reverse the tide.
The Stats Battle
Riyadi dominated collectively with 39 rebounds (10 offensive), 26 assists, 9 steals, and 7 blocks. La Sagesse grabbed 43 rebounds (35 defensive), but lacked precision from three (5/21 vs. Riyadi’s 9/33) and fluid ball movement (just 14 assists and 2 steals).
A Historic Duel That Overshadows the Rest
This isn’t the first time these two giants have clashed in the finals. In fact, it’s their ninth showdown at the top: Riyadi leads with 5 wins to 2, with one final canceled in 1996. La Sagesse hasn’t beaten Riyadi in a finals series since 2003.
Overall, Riyadi is aiming for a record 19th national title, while La Sagesse — eight-time champion between 1994 and 2004 — dreams of returning to its former glory. Between them, they’ve dominated nearly every title over the past three decades, leaving only scraps for clubs like Beirut Club, Champville, Homenetmen, and Aamal Bikfaya during brief stints in the spotlight.
Given current dynamics, Riyadi seems better equipped: strong as a unit, experienced, and consistent. La Sagesse, on the other hand, has been hot and cold since the start of the playoffs — and in a final, inconsistency comes at a high price.
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