- 09:45
A derby without suspense. In a Nouhad Nawfal Stadium filled with hopes that were quickly dashed, Al Riyadi dominated Sagesse (86-59), reaffirming its grip on Lebanese basketball. A ruthless display that brings the Yellows closer to a perfect first round in the WASL.
On Saturday night, in this highly anticipated WASL Cup showdown, those expecting a tightly contested battle were quickly disappointed. After a competitive first quarter, Riyadi took control and never let up. More aggressive and better organized, Ahmad Farran’s men dismantled a powerless Sagesse (85-59).
“All the credit goes to the players. They executed the game plan to perfection. Allowing only 59 points is incredible, especially in front of a packed crowd,” praised Farran.
A False Sense of Suspense, Then the Yellow Tornado
The opening minutes suggested a close contest, with an enterprising Sagesse facing a Riyadiwhich was still finding its rhythm. Trailing by three points at the start of the second quarter, the reigning champions responded with an 8-0 run led by Saoud and Mansour (34-29). Zeinoun and Diop then widened the gap, with the latter sinking a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send Riyadi into halftime with a ten-point lead (42-32).
“It’s a derby, and we knew a win would put us on top. We don’t talk off the court, we talk on the court. Today, we proved that our title was no accident,” declared a determined Arakji.
A Ruthless Execution
The second half was nothing short of a demolition job. Riyadi returned from the locker room in bulldozer mode. Arakji, Gyokchyan and King sparked a 10-0 run right out of the gate, extending the lead to 20 points (52-32). Unable to respond, Sagesse collapsed. The gap ballooned to +33 (78-45) after a deep three from Saoud in the final quarter.
“There was no game. We gave up way too early, for no reason. Changes are necessary,” admitted a dejected Zouros.
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
Riyadi shot an impressive 53.8%, capitalizing on 20 assists and dominance on the boards (45 rebounds to 32). Gyokchyan finished as the top scorer (17 points), followed by Arakji (14 pts), Zeinoun (14 pts) and Diop (12 pts). Making his return, Saoud contributed 10 points.
Faced with this dominant display, Sagesse never found its rhythm. The Green Castle fans, who showed up in large numbers early on, began leaving well before the final buzzer.
“We want to apologize to the fans and the coach. He prepared us, but we didn’t show up. After halftime, we just stopped playing,” admitted a visibly shaken Shabazz Muhammad.
With this win, Riyadi secures its third victory in as many games, remaining undefeated. One last hurdle stands between them and a perfect first phase: Al Difaa Al Jawi, this Sunday (10:00 PM).
As for Sagesse, they leave with a heavy defeat and plenty of doubts. A wake-up call is needed—fast—before things take a turn for the worse…
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