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Beirut’s Al-Riyadi Club is heading to the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, to participate in the Intercontinental Club Cup from September 12 to 15, with the ambition of delivering an honorable performance. This marks the first time a Lebanese club competes at this level. Representing Asia, Al-Riyadi hopes to shine in the tournament.
The complete delegation of Al-Riyadi Beirut flew to the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, on Monday morning to participate in the Intercontinental Cup, a new global-level competition. The Yellow Giant will face the best teams in the world, aiming to represent Lebanon and the Asian continent with pride.
The Road to Success
The journey to this competition was anything but easy. Al-Riyadi’s last season, which many describe as exceptional, was filled with challenges. However, thanks to the skill of their coach and the experience of their players, the club managed to dominate all the competitions they took part in.
At the end of the 2023-2024 season, Al-Riyadi dominated the national scene, finishing the regular season at the top, which paved their way to a title victory against their traditional rival, Sagesse. This past season was historic, as the two teams faced off 13 times.
Internationally, one cannot forget the legendary shot by Ismail Ahmad, a Riyadi icon who, unfortunately, will not participate in the Intercontinental Cup due to the foreign player rule, despite holding Lebanese nationality. That shot secured Al-Riyadi’s victory in the Dubai tournament against the Philippine team, which included NBA stars like Dwight Howard.
Additionally, Al-Riyadi triumphed in the West Asia Super League (WASL), defeating Iran’s Gorgan to qualify for the WASL finals, where the top three teams from West Asia and the Gulf, as well as champions from India and Kazakhstan, competed.
The Epic Final
A 100% Lebanese final took place between Al-Riyadi and Sagesse in the West Asia Super League (WASL), with a spot in the Asian Club Championship at stake. Al-Riyadi didn’t perform at their usual level, and everyone expected Sagesse to win. However, Lebanese star Wael Arakji hit three consecutive three-pointers late in the game, giving new hope to the Yellow team, who eventually won in overtime.
Al-Riyadi continued their journey by easily winning the Asian Club Championship, thanks to the great cohesion between their players, which earned them their first-ever qualification for the Intercontinental Club Cup.
Tournament Schedule and Format
It’s undeniable that the competition schedule is not in Al-Riyadi’s favor, as they aim to go far in the tournament. The team faced difficulties in finding opponents for friendly matches due to the absence of competitions, as national leagues had not yet begun. Coach Ahmad Farran’s players only played two preparation games against Egypt’s Zamalek, which they won.
However, those two games weren’t enough to gauge the team’s readiness. The club had to replace two foreign players, Jonathan Simmons and Thon Maker, who had greatly contributed to last season’s success under Coach Farran. They were replaced by Manny Harris, a former player who had already spent half a season with Al-Riyadi, and Travin Thibodeaux, who had impressed while playing against Al-Riyadi last season with Bahrain’s Manama Club.
The competition is divided into two groups of three teams. Each team will play two games to determine the standings in each group. In the knockout stage, the first-place teams from each group will face off in the final, while the second-place teams will compete for third and fourth places. The teams that finish last in their groups will play for fifth and sixth places.
Al-Riyadi will compete in Group A against Spain’s Unicaja Malaga on Friday, September 13, at 3:00 PM Beirut time, and Angola’s Petro de Luanda on Saturday at 11:00 AM Beirut time.
Each club is allowed to field foreign players according to their regional rules, so Al-Riyadi will play with only three foreign players.
A Challenge for a Lebanese Club Representing a Whole Continent
Hailing from a small country, Al-Riyadi carries the hopes of an entire continent in the Intercontinental Cup.
This new challenge for a team that doesn’t shy away from pressure represents a historic opportunity for Lebanon to win a precious medal and make its mark on the global stage.
