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Riyadi defeated La Sagesse in the fourth game between them at the Antoine Choueiry Stadium in Ghazir with a score of 90-78, bringing them one step closer to winning the Lebanese Basketball Championship for the 2023-2024 season.
Riyadi defeated La Sagesse in the fourth game between them at the Antoine Choueiry Stadium in Ghazir with a score of 90-78, bringing them one step closer to winning the Lebanese Basketball Championship for the 2023-2024 season.
A Complex Game
Coach Ahmad Farran relied on the quintet of Wael Arakji, Karim Zeinoun, Jonathan Simmons, Hayk Gyokchyan and Thon Maker in his starting line-up, which he had already used in his previous game. This quintet created offensive and defensive balance for the yellow team, against Jonathan Gibson, Omar Jamal El-Din, Ahmad Ibrahim, Karim Ezzeddine and Nick Rakocevic on the green side.
La Sagesse began the match with great concentration, as defeat would mean moving further away from the title, while for Riyadi, the aim was to secure victory to facilitate their mission of winning the title.
Artist Gibson
American player Jonathan Gibson began the match with an extraordinary performance, having become accustomed to his long-range shots and beautiful breakthroughs. Neither Karim Zeinoun nor Ali Mansour could stop him in this quarter, which ended 28-22 in favor of La Sagesse.
The Genius
Despite the green team’s strong start, Wael Arakji managed to keep his team in the game thanks to his magical passes (9 assists) to Thon Maker and Jonathan Simmons, who successfully exploited these gifts. The half-time score was 51-45 for the hosts.
The Zeinoun-Mansour Dynamic
In the third quarter, coach Ahmad Farran incorporated players Ali Mansour and Karim Zeinoun at the same time, with a clear defensive mission: to stop Sagesse playmaker Jonathan Gibson.
A successful gamble, as the duo put in a remarkable defensive performance, preventing La Sagesse from scoring more than 14 points in the third quarter and 13 in the final quarter. The third quarter ended with a two-point lead for the yellow club, 67-65.
Simmons and the Coup de Grâce
Jonathan Simmons, with his six three-point shots, dashed Wisdom’s hopes of a comeback in the last quarter of the game thanks to his extraordinary shooting and breakthroughs. He scored 32 points, enough to secure victory for his club with a score of 90-78.
With this win, Riyadi moves closer to the championship, while Sagesse finds itself in a difficult position for Monday’s game, which could be the last of the season.
Will Riyadi be able to seal the deal, or will the green club delay the outcome?
