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3. Basketball: Riyadi Dominates in Mezher and Edges Closer to the Finals

Even without stars Arakji and Saoud, Riyadi Beirut crushed Homenetmen (111–91) in the fiery Mezher arena. Ahmad Farran’s men now lead the series 2–0 and are just one win away from the league finals.

In front of a roaring orange crowd, Homenetmen hoped to turn the tide. But Riyadi, despite missing its Arakji–Saoud duo, took control from the opening tip. With a dominant Thon Maker (29 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks) ruling both ends of the paint and a stellar Hayk Gyokchyan (23 points, 13 rebounds), the visitors controlled the tempo throughout the game.

 Karim Zeinoun played a smart facilitator role, adding 14 points and 3 assists, while the ageless Ismaïl Ahmad impressed once again with his basketball IQ: 14 points and 6 rebounds off the bench. American Marcus Hunt also stood out, contributing 15 points and 3 steals in a high-intensity contest.

Homenetmen Overwhelmed

Despite the efforts of their American trio, the home team was overwhelmed by Riyadi’s physicality and aggression. Jordan Stevens led offensively with a strong showing (25 points, 6 rebounds, 16 assists), often carrying the playmaking load alone.

Dewayne Jackson tried to spark Mezher with 21 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and tough defense (3 steals, 2 blocks), while Tyler Bey added 17 points and 7 rebounds, notably in the second quarter. Gabriel Ajami chipped in with 13 points and solid defensive hustle (4 steals). But despite these individual performances, Homenetmen’s team play crumbled under Riyadi’s pressure. The visitors grabbed a staggering 60 rebounds (24 offensive!) compared to only 31 for the home team.

A Sweep Coming?

Next up: Wednesday at Saïb Salam Arena. A win for Riyadi would close out the series and send the Yellow team to the finals. Ahmad Farran remains cautious, but with the team in full stride, they already have one foot in the championship round. Joe Moujaes, on the other hand, is out of lifelines and must find a miracle solution to stop the bleeding.

At this rate, Homenetmen will only have glimpsed Mezher from afar… and the finals even further.