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Al Riyadi and Homenetmen met on Saturday night in the third match of the semi-finals of the Lebanese Basketball Championship. While a win would secure Al-Riyadi a spot in the final, Homenetmen were looking to stay alive in the series, despite the other team’s clear advantage going into the game.
The game ended 98-90 for Al-Riyadi, who now qualify for the final against La Sagesse with a home court advantage.
Classic Five
Al Riyadi’s coach, Ahmad Farran, went for the usual starting five of Wael Arakji, Karim Zeinoun, Jonathan Simons, Hayk Gyokchyan, and Elmedin Kikanovic. On the other hand, coach Joe Moujaes of Homenetmen selected Gaby Ajemian, Gerard Hadidian, Jad Khalil, Jamal Jones, and Zack Lofton.
A Tough Road to the Final
Homenetmen unexpectedly started the game on the front foot, as they were more effective than the home team on the offensive end. The rest of the first quarter remained tight until the end, where Homenetmen extended their lead to 9 crucial points. This quarter ended 27–21 for Homenetmen.
The second quarter showed two determined teams going back and forth on the floor, while Homenetmen kept a small lead over the team from Manara. Halfway through the quarter, Al-Riyadi took the lead and thus took control of the game, with an advantage of 6 points. The quarter ended 53-44 for Al-Riyadi, who found their rhythm again towards the end of the first half.
In the third quarter, Homenetmen came back to tie the score, not letting Al-Riyadi get away with it. This quarter was a very competitive one, showing that both teams could get the win in this match, despite Al-Riyadi’s home court advantage. Towards the end of the period, only 3 points separated the two teams, with Al-Riyadi holding a slight edge (73-70).
While the third quarter showed two equally competitive sides, the fourth quarter insisted on this matter, with only 1 point separating them throughout the quarter. Homenetmen stayed alive through Lofton’s input, while Al-Riyadi relied on Simons’ brilliant performance to keep their narrow lead. With the game coming to a close, Al-Riyadi benefited from an unsportsmanlike foul and converted their free throws, extending their lead to 8 points and winning 98-90.
After their hard-fought win, Al-Riyadi now qualify for the final of the Lebanese Basketball Championship against their bitter rivals, La Sagesse. The first game of this series will be played in Al-Riyadi’s court, with the date still unannounced.
