Riyadi won the second game (92-84) and successfully equalized (1-1) in its series against Dynamo. The return of Karim Zeinoun to Manara’s squad proved to be a pivotal factor, injecting new energy and revitalizing the team’s performance.

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The final of the Lebanese first division men’s basketball championship between Riyadi and Dynamo – two clubs from the capital Beirut – continued on Wednesday, May 24, with the second game of the best-of-seven series. In the first game on Monday night, Dynamo had upset Riyadi (87-78) at their home court of Rockland Arena, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The second game was played in Manara at the Saeb Salam Stadium, Riyadi’s home court.

On the hosts’ side, coach Ahmad Farran was able to count again on Karim Zeinoun (absent in the first game) in defense, which he lined up in his starting five. Jad el-Hajj, for his part, retained the same lineup as in the first match. Zeinoun opened the game by scoring within seconds from behind the arc, followed by Waël Arakji under the panel (5-0 for Riyadi). But Jo Lual quickly cut the score to 5-2. Just like those first 40 seconds, the first quarter continued at a frantic pace.

The return of Zeinoun proved to be beneficial for Riyadi on both defense and offense, as he scored a second 3-pointer less than three minutes after his first. The first quarter witnessed a point-for-point battle between the two Karims – Zeinoun for Riyadi and Ezzeddine for Dynamo – both ending the quarter tied with six points each. Riyadi had the upper hand in the first half (70% from behind the arc), and ended this period with an eight point lead (31-23).

The second quarter started with Riyadi extending their lead to 15 points (38-23). The host club seemed unstoppable, accumulating points with spectacular passes and actions, thus taking the lead by 20 points (43-23 and 47-27). The return of Zeinoun has visibly changed the face of this Riyadi conquering again, accumulating successful shots behind the arc. Powerless, the Dynamo club found themselves missing shots (especially behind the arc) and accumulating fouls. But they managed to stage a comeback after Riyadi’s Duop Reath was substituted and made the mistake of a lifetime as Farran tried to save him from being sent off. However, the host of the evening were unstoppable and reclaimed a 21-point advantage (61-40) to close this second quarter and the half-time with a score of 61-42.

In this first half, Riyadi converted 12 out of 18 shots (66.7%) from behind the arc while Dynamo only converted 4 out of 12 (33.3%).

During the third quarter, Karim Zeinoun confirmed that he was playing one of the best games of his season, adding a fifth basket from behind the arc to his tally for the night, as Hayk Gyokchyan scored his fourth 3-pointer. Both teams battled valiantly, but Riyadi continued to take the lead with a score of 68-53. And despite their efforts, including two very nice actions by Zach Lofton, the Dynamo players struggled to resemble the team that had won the first game two days earlier. Once again, the third quarter, like the two previous ones, ended in favor of Riyadi (76-57).

The fourth and last quarter saw a delirious crowd cheering on Riyadi by turning the famous chant “hela hela hela ho” into an anti-Dynamo anthem. The match mirrored the preceding three periods with Riyadi asserting their dominance and Dynamo suffering the blows. Also, Dynamo coach Jad el-Hajj was sanctioned with a technical foul. The guests attempted a comeback by increasing the pressure on their opponents, but Karim Zeinoun scored twice more from behind the arc – his 6th and 7th successful 3-point shots of the night, his 66th basket of the 2023 season. At the final buzzer, winning the game 92 to 84 points, Riyadi tied the series in this captivating finale.

However, when asked about his feelings after the match, Jad el-Hajj expressed his anger towards a refereeing that he considered hostile to his team, refusing however to specify what he was really complaining about. The third game of the finals will take place on Friday, May 26, at Rockland Arena.

Program and results

Here is the schedule and the results of the final of the Lebanese basketball championship (1st division men), which is played based on the best-of-seven games:

Monday, May 22, at Rockland Arena (9:45 pm): Dynamo-Riyadi 87-78

Wednesday, May 24, at Manara (9:45 pm): Riyadi-Dynamo 92-84

Friday, May 26, at Rockland Arena (9:45 pm): Dynamo-Riyadi

Sunday, May 28, at Manara (5:00 pm): Riyadh-Dynamo

Monday, May 29, at Rockland Arena (9:45 pm): Dynamo-Riyadi

Wednesday, May 31, at Manara (9:45 pm) : Riyadhi-Dynamo

Friday, June 2, at Rockland Arena* (9:45 pm): Dynamo-Riyadi.

* Dynamo has the advantage of an extra game at home.