LBL Round 3 of Semi-Finals. Al Riyadi secure Finals berth

Beirut Club - Sagesse 90-107

Sagesse made 20-of-26 free shots (76.9 percent) during the game. Sagesse outrebounded Beirut Club 46-29 including a 19-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. Sagesse looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists. 26 personal fouls committed by Beirut Club helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. It was a great evening for American forward Cleanthony Early (203-1991, college: Wichita St.) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 40 points (!!!), 18 rebounds and 4 assists. Serbian-American power forward Nick Rakocevic (211-1997, college: USC, agency: Pensack Sports) helped adding 15 points and 6 assists. Sagesse's coach Jad El Hajj used an eleven-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The best for the losing side was the former international point guard Ali Mezher (182-1994) with 21 points and 9 assists and the former international guard Sergio El Darwich (194-1996, college: Maine) scored 20 points and 6 assists. Five Sagesse and four Beirut Club players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Sagesse: C.Early 40+18reb+4ast, J.Gibson 15+4reb+1ast, N.Rakocevic 15+3reb+6ast, M.Khoueiry 12+5reb+5ast, O.Jamaleddine 10+4reb+1ast, K.Ezzeddine 10+5reb+2ast
Beirut Club: A.Mezher 21+2reb+9ast, S.El Darwich 20+3reb+6ast, M.Haidar 13+7reb+2ast, T.Corbett 10+5reb+1ast, D.Tucker 10+2reb+1ast, J.Hamilton 8+8reb

Al Riyadi - Homentmen 98-90

Al Riyadi made 31-of-33 charity shots (93.9 percent) during the game, while Homentmen only scored fifteen points from the stripe. Homentmen was plagued by 24 personal fouls down the stretch. It was an exceptional evening for American guard Jonathon Simmons (198-1989, college: Houston) who led the winners and scored 24 points and 6 rebounds (went 9 for 9 at the free throw line !!!). Naturalized Egyptian power forward Ahmad Ismail (205-1976) accounted for 14 points and 10 rebounds for the winning side. American guard Zach Lofton (193-1993, college: NM State, agency: Slash Sports) came up with 27 points and 7 rebounds and the former international forward Gerard Hadidian (201-1995, college: Lake Land) added 19 points and 12 rebounds respectively for Homentmen in the defeat. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Al Riyadi: J.Simmons 24+6reb+3ast, K.Zeinoun 14+1reb+2ast, A.Ismail 14+10reb, H.Gyokchyan 14+6reb+2ast, W.Arakji 10+3reb+4ast, T.Maker 6+3reb
Homentmen: Z.Lofton 27+7reb+2ast, J.Jones 19+4reb+1ast, G.Hadidian 19+12reb+2ast, G.Ajemian 11+3reb+2ast, J.Khalil 8+2reb+9ast, J.Salem 4+5reb