Lebanese clubs continued their strong showing in the Arab Basketball Championship, as Beirut First Club and Al Hekmeh both secured important wins, in a day full of excitement and Lebanese brilliance.
Beirut claimed its fourth straight victory, defeating Yemen’s Shabab Hadramout by a score of 91-81, confirming its impressive form and steady progress in the tournament.
The Lebanese side established its dominance from the first quarter, drawing on its players’ experience and strong court presence. Beirut ended the opening period ahead 24-18.
Shabab Hadramout tried to fight back in the second quarter and managed to keep pace with Beirut, but the Lebanese team held on to its lead, finishing the first half ahead 46-40.
In the third quarter, Beirut extended its advantage to ten points, closing the period at 68-58. The team maintained control in the final minutes, sealing the win with a final score of 91-81.
Anthony Naba shone brightly for Beirut, scoring 27 points, while Romeo Anan scored the same number of points for Shabab Hadramout.
With this win, Beirut raised its tally to four consecutive victories, while the Yemeni team suffered its fourth loss, ending its hopes of reaching the quarterfinals.
Al Hekmeh wins the clash by a single point
In an all-Lebanese match filled with drama, Al Hekmeh managed to edge out Markaziya by a score of 81-80, securing its third consecutive win against its opponent’s first loss.
The game began closely contested, before Al Hekmeh closed out the first quarter ahead 20-17. The Green team then picked up the pace in the second quarter, led by Ali Mazhar and American Deshawndy Washington, finishing the first half ahead 42-33.
But Markaziya staged a strong comeback in the third quarter, erasing the nine-point gap to level the score at 58-58 heading into the final period.
The excitement reached its peak in the decisive final minutes. Markaziya took a 71-70 lead midway through the fourth quarter, before the two teams traded baskets until tying the score at 80-80 with 32 seconds left on the clock.
In the final moments, Al Hekmeh snatched the go-ahead point and held on until the final whistle, securing a hard-fought win with a score of 81-80.
Deshawndy Washington was the star of the match, scoring 31 points for Al Hekmeh, while Williams was Markaziya’s top scorer with 17 points.
With these results, Beirut and Al Hekmeh continued their Lebanese dominance in the Arab Championship, with two wins that boost Lebanon’s ambitions to compete strongly in the rounds ahead.
