On the 26th of January, Beirut SC and Riyadi both played a quarterfinal game in the Dubai Basketball Championship. While Beirut got the better of the Tunisian national team by a narrow lead, Riyadi comfortably won against Homenetmen by a 17-point margin.
Beirut SC Overcome Tunisia to Reach Semis
In a game that was hard to predict given the quality of both teams, Beirut SC was able to dispatch the Tunisian national team (88-82). In this context, the Lebanese team qualified for the semi-final and is one game away from the awaited final.
The match witnessed a slow start in the first quarter. While both teams were finding it hard to find the basket, they gradually found their rhythm, as the Tunisians were able to build a narrow advantage on Beirut SC, who would not let the opposition get away with it. The quarter ended 22-12 for Tunisia, with Beirut SC having some improving to do on the defensive end.
With Beirut SC suffering from a relatively large deficit going into the second quarter, they had to make a quick comeback, and they did. The Lebanese slowly got back to their composure, sinking basket after basket while stopping the Tunisians on the other end. In a matter of minutes, the difference went from 10 to 2 points, with Beirut SC having the obvious momentum. With the first half coming to a close, Beirut were the better team on the floor, drawing fouls and keeping a strong sense of organization. However, the score remained 42-42, with the Lebanese team making a significant improvement.
In order to win the game and qualify for the semis, Beirut SC had to gain control in the third quarter to see out the game comfortably in the fourth quarter. However, the Tunisian national team did not make it easy. 6 minutes deep into the third quarter, Beirut SC took an advantage of 5 points over their Tunisian counterparts. In what was the turning point in the game, Beirut SC was able to draw an offensive foul on Tunisia to keep possession and extend their lead. Yet, Tunisia could still manage to score some baskets to keep themselves in the game. The quarter ended 62-60 for Beirut SC.
In the last quarter, tension was mounting to see who would come out on top. In this context, Beirut SC managed to lose the first quarter, draw the second, and win the third. As both teams were going back and forth, Sergio Darwish was able to sink a three halfway through the quarter to offer a crucial 6-point lead to Beirut SC, with still all to play for. The Lebanese team then minimized their mistakes to see out the match and go through to the semi-finals (88-82).
Riyadi Dominates Homenetmen All Game Long
Riyadi met with Homenetmen on the afternoon of January 26 in the quarterfinals of the Dubai basketball championship. The match ended in Riyadi’s favor, and they now qualify for the semi-final.
The first quarter was characterized by an efficient start by Riyadi, who went up 8-0 in the opening minutes of the game. Halfway through the quarter, it was Homenetmen’s turn to express themselves to decrease the deficit, with Riyadi still going strong on the offensive end. Riyadi could only build a 4-point lead over Homenetmen’s sharp shooters (21-17).
The second quarter only replicated the first in the way that Riyadi had the upper hand, but Homenetmen could still keep themselves in the game through Jackson’s effective shots. However, Riyadi kept their composure, even under the menace of Homenetmen’s offense, filled with players who could shoot from almost anywhere on the court. Riyadi was then able to progressively build a comfortable 14-point lead as they capitalized on Homenetmen’s mistakes. (52-38).
In the third quarter, Riyadi were maintaining their important lead over Homenetmen while keeping things organized defensively. Their 14-point lead increased to 16 until the last minutes, when they could extend their lead further to 22 points, making their qualification to the semis clearer by the minute (78-56).
The fourth quarter was almost only played to finish the game and confirm Riyadi’s qualification for the semi-final. Halfway through the quarter, Ismail Ahmad put the nail in the coffin to create a 30-point lead. The game ended 103-87 for Riyadi, who did not trail all game long.
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