Listen to the article
The Lebanese First Division Basketball Championship for men is set to kick off in the second half of the current month of October. This championship promises to be exciting and competitive, following in the footsteps of previous seasons. The First Division includes 12 clubs, but 11 of them are continuing their preparations for the competition, with the notable absence of the Leader’s Club. The defending champion, Sporting Club, aims to retain its title in the new season, while the runner-up, Dynamo Club, seeks to clinch their third championship in the First Division, facing competition from third-place holder Hekmeh Club from the previous season. (The Green Club is currently facing significant issues.) Meanwhile, Beirut Club has declared its readiness and determination to reclaim the title it won in 2022.
Who are the coaches of the First Division clubs as of now?
Ahmad Farran remains the coach for Sporting Beirut, which secured the championship title in 2022 by defeating Dynamo Club 4-1 in the finals. Notably, like coach Ghassan Sarkis, Fran has won the championship with two different clubs. As for Dynamo Club, Jad el-Hajj, the coach of the Lebanese national team, continues to lead the team. Al-Hajj has a dual role as the coach of Dynamo Club and the national team, having led Dynamo Club to the runner-up position in the 2023 championship and achieving several successes with the national team in recent years. Lebanon won the Arab Championship in Dubai, UAE, in 2022 for the first time in its history and finished as the runner-up in the Asia Cup held in Jakarta, Malaysia, in the same year, narrowly losing to the championship-winning Australian team.
During the previous summer, El-Hajj led the Lebanese national team in the World Cup, which resulted in a 16-place improvement in Lebanon’s ranking, bringing it to 28th place in the world under his coaching.
As for La Sagesse, their coach, Ghassan Sarkis, known as “The Fox,” returned to the team, temporarily assisting Joe Ghattas before eventually taking charge of the technical staff at Beirut Club. Sarkis is a renowned coach and among the oldest current First Division coaches. He has achieved multiple successes with the Green Club, including three Asian championships, two Arab club championships, and multiple Lebanese championships. He also won the championship with Champville Club in 2011.
Joe Ghattas, who was previously an assistant coach at La Sagesse, has taken over as the head coach of Beirut Club along with several players, including Sergio Darwich and Ali Mezher. Ghattas worked under coach Sarkis at La Sagesse before taking charge of the technical staff himself, while Sarkis battled COVID-19 for an extended period. Ghattas opted to join Beirut Club, known for its stability in management and finances.
Moving to Champville Club, they signed coach Sabah Khoury, a former prominent international player who made a name for himself with Hekmeh Club. Khoury now leads Champville Club, coming from Interclub Beirut. Sabah Khoury is a former international player known for his impressive three-point shooting and high shooting percentage.
Hoops Club is under the guidance of coach Ziad Natour, along with coach Jad el-Hajj, who was previously with Dynamo Club before moving to his current position. It’s worth noting that the club “NSA” opted for Serbian coach Srdjan Jovanovic instead of Lebanese coaches on their staff.
Concerning Homenetmen Club, they welcomed back coach Joe Mjaes, who won the Lebanese championship with the team years ago. Additionally, they brought back one of their administrative and artistic talents, Guy Manoukian, who aims to compose the tune of victory once again.
The situation at Leader’s Club remains shrouded in mystery. Despite finishing fifth in the final overall standings in the 2023–2022 season and earning promotion to the First Division, there is little news about the club’s signings and preparations for the upcoming season. We also see the return of two clubs, Antoni Club and Mouttahed Club, to the First Division. Antoni Club, which won the Second Division championship last season, has a history in the First Division and is currently led by coach Ralph Akl, a former international player. Mouttahed Club is also returning to the First Division, and they have signed coach Patrick Saba, a former Lebanese national team player.
Three current coaches in the First Division have previously won the Lebanese championship as coaches: Ahmad Fran (who won with Sporting Club and Beirut Club), Ghassan Sarkis (who won with Hekmeh Club and Champville Club), and Joe Mjaes (who won with Homenetmen Club).
Lebanese coaches and one Serbian coach will lead the First Division clubs, and we might witness changes and substitutions in their names before, during, or after the championship.
So, which coach will lift the championship trophy in the end?
