LBL Round 2 (Regular Season): Beirut Club keep a leadership position

There were only 2 rounds played so far and it's still very beginning of the Regular Season in LBL. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

Beirut Club smashed Champville at home 112-79. Beirut Club made 16-of-18 free shots (88.9 percent) during the game. They also forced 19 Champville turnovers. Beirut Club looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. American power forward Cliff Alexander (203-1995, college: Kansas, agency: MSG) orchestrated the victory by scoring 26 points. American-Jordanian Dar Tucker (193-1988, college: DePaul) contributed with 18 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. American guard Javion Blake (191-1997, college: Washburn, agency: Haylett Sports) replied with 33 points (!!!), 7 rebounds and 8 assists for Champville. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games.
Hoops recorded a loss in Beirut. Visitors were defeated by Homentmen 92-79. American power forward Raphiael Putney (207-1990, college: UMass) had a double-double by scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and Jimmy Salem chipped in 26 points during the contest. Homentmen's coach allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. U.S. Virgin Islands forward Romani Hansen (203-1997, college: Albany) responded with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 16 rebounds.
Very important is a home loss of Al Riyadi against Antonine on Saturday night. Host Al Riyadi was defeated by Antonine in Beirut 87-75. Jordan Davis notched 34 points (!!!), 6 rebounds and 9 assists to lead the effort. Even 17 points and 6 rebounds by Elmedin Kikanovic did not help to save the game for Al Riyadi. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.

In the last two games of round 2 winless NSA was beaten by Mayrouba on the road 89-72. Winless Antranik lost to undefeated Sagesse on its own court 51-59.
The most impressive performance of 2nd round was 27 points by Christian Harvey of Antranik.



Homentmen - Hoops 92-79

Hoops recorded a loss in Beirut. Visitors were defeated by Homentmen 92-79. Homentmen dominated down low during the game scoring 58 of its points in the paint compared to Hoops' 38. Homentmen brought some defensive toughness making 8 blocks. American power forward Raphiael Putney (207-1990, college: UMass) had a double-double by scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead the charge for the winners and the former international guard Jimmy Salem (190-1995) chipped in 26 points during the contest. Homentmen's coach allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. U.S. Virgin Islands forward Romani Hansen (203-1997, college: Albany) responded with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 16 rebounds and American point guard Jesse Jones (183, college: Bridgeport) scored 19 points and 5 assists. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Hoops: R.Hansen 23+16reb, J.Jones 19+4reb+5ast, M.Al-Khoury 15+7reb, I.Haddad 11+2reb+1ast, M.Lewis 10+5reb+1ast, K.Aoun 1+10reb
Homentmen: J.Salem 26+2reb+1ast, R.Putney 18+12reb+3ast, W.Hodge 16+4reb+7ast, G.Hadidian 14+5reb+1ast, J.Khalil 11+10reb+5ast, D.Jackson 4+5reb+2ast

Beirut Club - Champville 112-79

Beirut Club smashed Champville at home 112-79. Beirut Club made 16-of-18 free shots (88.9 percent) during the game. They also forced 19 Champville turnovers. Beirut Club looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. American power forward Cliff Alexander (203-1995, college: Kansas, agency: MSG) orchestrated the victory by scoring 26 points. American-Jordanian Dar Tucker (193-1988, college: DePaul) contributed with 18 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. Five Beirut Club players scored in double figures. American guard Javion Blake (191-1997, college: Washburn, agency: Haylett Sports) replied with 33 points (!!!), 7 rebounds and 8 assists and Senegalese forward Ibrahima Thomas (213-1987, college: Cincinnati, agency: BIG) added 14 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Champville. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games.
Top scorers:
Champville: J.Blake 33+7reb+8ast, I.Thomas 14+5reb, D.Pippen 10+2reb, M.Lomayo 6+5reb+1ast, B.Bechara 5+1reb, L.Saleh 4+1reb
Beirut Club: C.Alexander 26+3reb+2ast, D.Tucker 18+7reb+2ast, T.Mitchell 16+3reb+2ast, S.El Darwich 15+4reb+4ast, A.Mezher 13+1reb+5ast, A.Mahmoud 9+1reb+3ast

Mayrouba - NSA 89-72

Mayrouba used a home court advantage and beat the opponent from 89-72 on Friday night. Jamaican power forward Samardo Samuels (206-1989, college: Louisville) notched 21 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the effort and American Dylan Smith (196-1997, college: Arizona, agency: Hendrix Sports Management) supported him with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Smith is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Mayrouba's coach used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Even 26 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists by American guard Matt Johnson (193-1998, college: Detroit) did not help to save the game for NSA. His fellow American import power forward Jervon Pressley (203-1992, college: Hampton) added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
NSA: M.Johnson 26+8reb+5ast, J.Zaloum 13+3reb+6ast, D.Newton 11+7reb+1ast, J.Pressley 10+12reb, E.Helou Hicham 5+5reb, H.Mike 3+1reb
Mayrouba: D.Smith 22+5reb+4ast, S.Samuels 21+7reb+4ast, K.Christophe 15+8reb+4ast, M.Hijazi 13+5reb+4ast, C.Manigault 8+5reb+1ast, J.Assi 5+2reb+1ast

Al Riyadi - Antonine 75-87

Very important is a home loss of Al Riyadi against Antonine on Saturday night. Host Al Riyadi was defeated by Antonine in Beirut 87-75. Azerbaijani-American guard Jordan Davis (188-1997, college: N.Colorado) notched 34 points (!!!), 6 rebounds and 9 assists to lead the effort and American forward LaQuinton Ross (203-1992, college: Ohio St.) supported him with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Even 17 points and 6 rebounds by Bosnian center Elmedin Kikanovic (211-1988) did not help to save the game for Al Riyadi. Palestinian power forward Sani Sakakini (204-1988) added 13 points and 6 rebounds for the hosts. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
Al Riyadi: E.Kikanovic 17+6reb+2ast, S.Sakakini 13+6reb+1ast, M.Harris 12+3reb+2ast, A.Ismail 8+3reb+2ast, A.Saoud 7+2reb, W.Arakji 7+2reb+2ast
Antonine: J.Davis 34+6reb+9ast, L.Ross 19+11reb+3ast, D.Bassil 11+6reb+1ast, K.Assi 9+1reb, M.Bryan 6+1ast, J.Makhlouf 4+4reb

Antranik - Sagesse 51-59

Very expected game when Antranik lost to Sagesse in Beirut 51-59 on Sunday. Tunisian forward Radhouane Slimane (204-1980) notched 9 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the effort and the former international guard Bassel Harfouch (193-1993, college: Alcorn St.) supported him with 11 points and 5 rebounds. Sagesse's coach Jad El Hajj used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. Even 27 points by American guard Christian Harvey (185, college: Marian, IN) did not help to save the game for Antranik. His fellow American import forward Jordan Bruner (208-1997, college: Alabama, agency: Diamond Sports) added 6 points and 11 rebounds for the hosts.
Top scorers:
Antranik: C.Harvey 27+4reb, Y.Ghantous 8+5reb+1ast, J.Bruner 6+11reb+1ast, T.Winn III 5+10reb+1ast, S.Alaaeddine 3+5reb+1ast, G.Elio 2+1ast
Sagesse: B.Harfouch 11+5reb+1ast, A.Ibrahim 11+1reb, A.Abdel Massih 10+1reb, R.Slimane 9+10reb+6ast, K.Ezzeddine 6+8reb+2ast, G.A. Williams II 4+2reb