Beirut SC emerged with a hard-fought 90-85 victory over Sagesse on the 13th day of the Lebanese basketball championship, in a game where the scoreline fluctuated back and forth.
Sagesse dominated the first quarter, during which Beirut SC’s defense was almost non-existent, allowing the Greens to take a 36-21 lead. Players Radwan Sulaiman and Mark Khoueiry shone from the three-point line during the first quarter for Sagesse, contributing to this important lead.
One Injury Too Many
While Sagesse had started the game in the best possible way, the absence of one of their most important players, Karim Ezzeddine, proved to be decisive.
This injury affected the team in the second quarter, which Sagesse closed with an 8-point lead. Sergio el-Darwish, with 23 points to his credit in the game (44-51 at the 20th), shone brightly.
After half-time, Sagesse started the third quarter with great concentration. The Greens took an early lead thanks to 3-points from Jonathan Gibson, who picked up his fourth foul before the end of the third quarter. As a result, Beirut regained control and went into the final quarter with a one-point lead thanks to Darwish’s buzzer-beater (68-69).
The Turning Point of the Game
In the fourth and final quarter, La Sagesse tried to get back into the game, with Tunisian player Radouane Slimane scoring his fifth 3-pointer. However, bad luck followed with a number of missed shots against Beirut SC’s solid defense, and they were able to end the game in their favor (90-85).
This victory enabled Beirut SC to consolidate second place behind Riyadi Sporting Club (10-3), while Sagesse remained third (9-3) in a championship that is wide open. What happens next is anyone’s guess.
