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Beirut SC and La Sagesse played on Saturday, May 4th, at La Sagesse’s Antoine Choueiri stadium in Ghazir. This game was the second of the semifinals series after the green team had clinched a difficult win away in Beirut.

This game ended 105-101 in favor of Beirut in a high-scoring game, tying the series 1-1.

Coach Jad el Hajj of La Sagesse went for this lineup: Jonathan Gibson, Omar Jamaleddine, Ahmad Ibrahim, Karim Ezzeddine, and their latest signing Rakocevic. On the other hand, Beirut SC’s coach Joe Ghattas chose Sergio el-Darwiche, Dar Tucker, Jonathan Hamilton, Ali Haidar, and Ali Mezher as his starting five.

The match was opened with a strong start by Beirut SC who displayed a clinical defensive performance, completely stopping their opposition, which put them up 10-0 halfway through the quarter. While La Sagesse was trying to get back into the game, Beirut SC kept them at a distance with a remarkable showing, all while benefiting from the green team’s technical fouls (24-31).

As the home team did not find their rhythm in the first quarter, they were able to come back quickly at the end of the first quarter, and then took the lead in the second quarter after an impressive 22-4 run. For the rest of the quarter, the difference between the two teams remained tight, with Beirut SC detaining a slight edge (48-53).

The third quarter replicated the events of the second quarter, with both teams staying competitive and keeping the difference closer than ever. With a couple of minutes to go, only 1 point separated the two teams, showing there was still no clear winner, despite Beirut SC’s dominant start. The quarter ended 75-72 for Beirut, who kept a slight advantage away from home.

Early in the final quarter, Beirut SC extended their lead after two consecutive 3-pointers by Corbett. In this period, Beirut SC’s men stepped up, taking control late in the game. Their lead was extended to a maximum of 14 points before getting reduced to 4 points, gifting a deserved win for Beirut SC.

The series in now tied 1-1, with both teams getting a win away from home. Beirut SC will be looking to go 2-1 in their next game at Chiyah on Tuesday, May 7th.