17 Mar. 2017- After a very successful season, Bank of Beirut has made it to the futsal’s finals for the 4th consecutive time. BOB has never lost a game this season, and will play against Army Club.

The winner of 3 games will be crowned as the new champion.

According to the Team Manager, Gilbert Diab: ” We are more than ready for the finals, and we will do whatever it takes to be crowned Futsal Champions again.

The players are deploying huge efforts, and everyone is taking the practices seriously, in order to prove himself, and be chosen among the 12 players on the squad.

Finally, transportation will be available to the bank’s employees, so they can support the team bring back the gold.”

Best of luck to both teams, may the best win.

The post Bank of Beirut: We Will Do Everything to Win the Title Again appeared first on Sports 961.

17 Mar. 2017 – As the competition intensifies and amidst many ongoing problems, the Lebanese Volleyball League Final 8 continues and here are the latest results:

• Speedball Chekka 3-0 Bouchrieh
• Anwar 0-3 Zahra
• Halat 0-3 Tannourine
• Amchit 3-2 Phoenicia Jbeil
• Halat 0-3 Tannourine

Let’s hope all problems will be resolved soon so we can go back to a fair and square, amazing competition!

Photo credit: SPORTS961

The post Latest Results from the Lebanese Volleyball League Final 8! appeared first on Sports 961.

17 Mar. 2017 – After reaching the finals of WABA Championship, Riyadi will play Petrochimi tonight at 6. Thanks to President Hicham Jaroudi who worked really hard in order to allow the Lebanese fans witness such an event.

The game will be live at Future TV at 6 PM.

All the best to our Lebanese Team, may they bring the gold home.

The post Here Is Where You Can Watch Riyadi vs Petrochimi appeared first on Sports 961.

17 Mar. 2017 – Fadi El Khatib, a name that speaks for itself. The Tiger is undoubtedly the best Lebanese player who had ever played this game, and his stats, achievement and trophies can talk about him on both national and international levels.

Fadi El Khatib is shining as usual among the 30 imports of our leaugue.

In fact, Terrel Stoglin, Dewayne Jackson and Emmanuel Jones are the only imports ahead of the Tiger with 33.6, 25.6 and 24.8 points respectively.

As for the NT’s Captain, he’s averaging 24.5 per game, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, with the highest 3 points percentage 48.8%. It’s worth mentioning that the Tiger was chosen in the best lineup of Asia, and the MVP of Dubai tournament. He always brings his A game, and helps his team bring the win no matter what it takes, putting work on both sides of the court, like he’s still in his early 20’s. He is definitely a phenomenon that will not be repeated.

Will the 13 times champion make history with Homenetmen and add another record to his long list of awards?

It’s always an honor to see our Lebanese players shining among the best imports of the league.

Finally here are the stats of the imports of our League:

Byblos:

• Jay Youngblood: 22.6 ppg
• Clay Tucker: 17.2 ppg
• Ndudi Ebi : 22.2 ppg

Champville:

• Darian Townes: 17 ppg
• Patrick Rembert: 24.3 ppg
• Brandon Thomas: 18.1 ppg

Homenetmen:

• Ater Majok: 11.9 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 0.93 apg
• Dewayne Jackson: 25.6 ppg, 6.06 rpg, 3.31 apg
• Kevin Galloway: 11.7 ppg, 8 rpg, 8 apg

Hoops:

• Omar Thomas: 20.1 ppg
• Vladan Vukosavljevic: 13.5 ppg
• Antonio Haymon: 13.8 ppg

Louaize:

• Geron Johnson: 24 ppg
• Travis Mckie: 17.3 ppg
• Wendell Lewis: 15.9 ppg

Mayrouba:

• Robert Upshaw: 19.4 ppg
• Emmanuel Jones 24.8 ppg
• Calvin Cage 18.4 ppg

Mouttahed:

• Dewarick Spenser: 23.6ppg
• Cleveland Melvin: 21.8 ppg
• Ramel Curry: 16.3 ppg

Riyadi

• Alade Aminu: 16.9 ppg
• Ken Brown: 12.2 ppg
• Branco Cvetkovic: 15.9 ppg

Sagesse:

• Terrel Stoglin: 33.6 ppg
• Michael Efevberha: 21.6 ppg
• Calvin Godfrey: 17.3 ppg

Tadamon:

• Maurice Kemp: 23.2 ppg
• MJ Reht: 15.1 ppg
• Earvin Morris: 23.2 ppg

The post Fadi El Khatib vs All the Imports of the League in Numbers appeared first on Sports 961.

17 Mar.2017– Riyadi went into the game focused and eyeing the gold.

Amir Saoud was filling the shoes of Branko and was founding his way to the basket. Defensively, Riyadi were facing a big sized, tall team that kept pushing down low. They were trying to pound the basket time after time, trying to put Aminu and Haidar in foul trouble. Riyadi’s zone defense caused Petrochimi a lot of trouble as they were able to force them to commit many TO and push on the break. The Lebanese finished the quarter leading 22-12.

The second quarter started with both teams sharing buckets. Back to back three point shots from Jean Abdel Nour increased the lead to 16 as momentum shifted in Riyadi’s favor. It’s important to signal the defensive presence that Ali Haidar imposed under the rim although he faced a 2.10 m center. Riyadi continued the quarter with a slow tempo trying to kill the game and finish the quarter the way they want. A late Iranian surge reduced the lead as they finished the half trailing 28-43.

Petrochimi came out focused and hit the ground running. They tried to close the gap with back to back buckets. But Jean Abdel Nour and Amir Saoud had other ideas. Captain Jean was tremendous on both ends. He’s known for his lock down defense and today he was on fire from behind the arc. As for Amir, he carried the load offensively and was able to penetrate the Iranian defense time after time. Riyadi built a demanding lead and finished the quarter up 70-51.

In the fourth, Riyadi kept their zone defense as Petrochimi could not find their touch from downtown. On the contrary, Ali Haidar was taking his open shots and drilling them. Alade was finding his way under the basket, scoring and grabbing rebounds by the dozen. Tension built in the game as the Iranians felt the loss coming their way. They were trying to get the Lebanese out of their comfort zone. Riyadi kept their cool as they won the game and were crowned WABA champions after an 83-69 win.

The post 2017 WABA Championship: Riyadi Crowned Champions After Downing Petrochimi appeared first on Sports 961.

18 Mar.2017– It’s 5th versus 3rd today in Jbeil as Louaize eye 4th spot after defeating hosts.

Byblos’ ego has been dealt a big blow after back to back losses, the last being a blow-out against Champville.

Jay and co hope to get back on track with a win today. Releasing Ebi had a bad effect on the team. They look fased and uncomfortable on court. Their only chance of winning today is based on how much they can hold Geron. His abilities to drive the lane and create space for himself is second to none. While he may face Jay, Geron must keep his cool as he often loses his temper after a hard foul or harsh defense. Vice versa, Louaize should keep an eye on Jay as he is their driving force. As we saw last Thursday, he is the only guy on that team who can create, thread the needle and take tough shots. Shut him down and you’re half way there.

Down low, Ali Traore and Wendell Lewis will fight for supremacy. Both players have a good low post presence, good footwork and use of the glass. Nonetheless, Lewis has shown he can handle big guys defensively as he schooled Robert Upshaw in their game on Sunday. Putting either one of them in foul trouble will give the opposition a huge boost. So with Geron cutting time after time, Traore better keep his hands up. The second matchup between Travis McKie and Ali Kanaan is not to be underestimated. It’s actually the matchup that can win or lose you the game. Ali should not live by the 3pt line as he usually does when he faces tall opponents. His post up game has been deteriorating and he must act fast. As for McKie, he has been great. Taking those threes at the right time and driving the lane to open up spaces for Lewis. If McKie isn’t contained, troubles are bound to happen in Jbeil.

As for Clay Tucker, he hasn’t been that influential on court. Yes, he is the player with the most three-point shots made, but they come silently and often when games are already over. With Stephan still out, Ribal Bechara and Jimmy Salem can take turns and silence him up. Jimmy showed great hustle and faith in himself in his last game. We look forward to seeing the same in this one.

Finally, Byblos need their PG back. Rodrigue isn’t playing his best basketball. Is it because of the shoulder injury? The important thing is that Ali Mahmoud can not handle 30+ minutes a game. Rodrigue must regain his form or Byblos are in deep trouble. As we said time and time again, blocking Akl will put more pressure on Jay. Game after game he will rack up those tough minutes, as he might finally break, fatigue and all. On the other hand, Miguel Martinez has elevated his game and might be knocking on the NT doors after Wael’s injury.

The post Lebanese Basketball League-Preview: Byblos vs Louaize appeared first on Sports 961.

18 Mar.2017– Fresh after their huge win in WABA and returning back to Lebanon with the gold, Riyadi confirmed they have signed Edgar Sosa.

Sosa is a Dominican professional basketball player. Standing at 1.88m, he is a great scorer with some amazing shooting abilities and ball-handling skills. He previously played for Angelico Biella of the Italian Serie A and Petrochimi.

Sosa’s addition was obviously to fill Wael Arakji’ spot after he got injured against Mouttahed. Now the question is, who is Sosa replacing? The underperforming Branko or the revitalized Brown?

The post Riyadi Mix Things Up and Sign A New Import appeared first on Sports 961.

18 Mar. 2017- Phoenicia Club Tyre runners Ahmad Chour, Ghiya Mteirek, Tarek Hlaihel and Montaser Hamieh will represent Lebanon at the OPAP Limassol Marathon.

The race day is tomorrow and our runners will be competing in the 5 Km race except for Tarek Hlaihel who will be running the half marathon.

All the best to Ahmad, Ghiya, Tarek & Montaser.

The post 4 Lebanese Athletes From Phoenicia Club to Participate in OPAP Limassol Marathon appeared first on Sports 961.

19 March. 2017 – Welcome to the 2017 Naqoura 10km run 5th edition live updates!

11:35 A.M – Our coverage comes to an end with these podium pictures. Thank you everyone for following us and stay tuned for the full results!

11:33 A.M – More and more shots from the podium!

11:28 A.M – It is worth mentioning that Aregu finished with a time of 38 minutes and 46 seconds, while the men winner, Awad, finished with 31 minutes and 53 seconds.

11:05 A.M – Incoming shots from the podium! Here are the women top 3 that we previously mentioned. Congratulations!

9:47 A.M – Look who’s here! It’s the champion Rabih Jammal who never lets anything stand in his way. Read his story.

9:30 A.M – Our winning trio in the women’s category!

9:25 A.M – More and more runners are crossing the line now as the race is nears its end.

9:22 A.M – Nadine Kalot (2nd) and Maria Kiwan (3rd) round up the women’s podium, while the young Sara Joe finishes 4th!

9:19 A.M – And here’s a shot of our women’s winner crossing the line. Top job Aregu!

9:15 A.M – Aregu Abate meanwhile is the women winner! She was the first one to cross the line in almost 45 minutes.

9:12 A.M – Here’s a shot of the winner crossing the finish line.

9:10 A.M – And here comes the unofficial winner! Awad Al chouroufat from Jordan crosses the line in first place while Moussa Hodroj finishes 2nd.

9:03 A.M – Breakfast and awards are awaiting the finishers! A few minutes are separating us from the first batch of finishers.

8:58 A.M – The women’s category leader has also now crossed half the distance and is on her way to the finish line. PUSH PUSH PUSH!

8:57 A.M – Managing your effort in such distances is key. Full focus…

8: 50 A.M – The race leader should have arrived mid way by now.

8:49 A.M – Future champion in the making?

8:37 A.M – Here’s a shot from the race start! Runners will give everything they have in the upcoming 10 kilometers.

8:18 A.M – About 10 minutes left until runners set off on their 10 kilometers run.

8:06 A.M – Running with friends in one of Lebanon’s most amazing places? Check!

8:02 A.M – The only constant that never changes is the Lebanese flag. Always and forever there!

7:54 A.M – There will be prizes for winners in each category, cups for first place holders and medals for 2nd and 3rd place.

7:47 A.M – This run is organized by Elite Club in collaboration with Sportscode Events.

7:43 A.M – The digital timing system in today’s run is provided by Timingcode.

7:41 A.M – Less than an hour separates us from the start of the run.

7:29 A.M – Warm up is always key in such events!

7:25 A.M – Good morning everyone. Make sure to follow us here and on our social media accounts for live updates.

The post Naqoura 10k Run 5th Edition – Live Updates! appeared first on Sports 961.

19 Mar. 2017 – Today, Sunday March 19th, the 5th edition of the 10 kilometers Naqoura run took place with a large number of runners participating. Amid great weather and in one of Lebanon’s most beautiful locations, runners from different countries and ages ran from start to finish.

Here are the unofficial results of the run in the men and women categories.

Men:

01. Awad Al Chouroufat
02. Moussa Hodroj

Women:

01. Aregu Abate
02. Nadine Kalot
03. Maria Kiwan

Congratulations to the winners and stay tuned for the full and official results.

The post 2017 Naqoura 10K Run 5th Edition – Unofficial Results appeared first on Sports 961.

19 Mar. 2017 – Four Lebanese runners were taking part in the OPAP Limassol Marathon: Ahmad Shour, Ghiya Mtairek, Tarek Hlaihel and Montaser Hamier.

These runners all train at Phoenicia Club Tyre and achieved great results. First of all, Montaser Hamieh was 1st in his category and 2nd overall. Ghiya Mtairek ended up 2nd in her category and 5th overall. As for Ahmad Shour, he placed 2nd in his category but 4th overall. Finally, Tarek Hlaihel was 3rd in his category and 7th overall.

Congratulations and best of luck for the upcoming races.

The post Lebanese Runners Shine at OPAP Limassol Marathon appeared first on Sports 961.

19 Mar. 2017 – The final of the Lebanese Futsal League has finally come, and it is Bank of Beirut against the Army.

A clash of the titans between these two teams who have both proven to be very tough to beat this season. With BoB leader of the regular season, and the Army close seconds not very far behind, this series promised to be a very close one. In fact, all eyes were on these two teams in game one, which ended 5-1 in favor of  the Bank’s team.

The Army missed a lot of chances, but went into the break with a 1-0 lead. However, they were unable to maintain their edge and BoB scored 5 consecutive goals in the second half ending the game 5-1.

The 2 remaining games promise to be very exciting. Stay tuned for the results.

The post Lebanese Futsal League – Bank of Beirut Get the Best of the Army appeared first on Sports 961.

19 Mar. 2017 – Nacif Elias has been on a roll lately as he has participated in a countless number of competitions these past few months.

In fact, after the Paris Grand Slam, the Dusseldorf Grand Prix and the Pan American Open, Nacif was taking part in the judo World Cup. He won his first fight against Daryl Yamamoto Servan from Peru but unfortunately lost his second fight to fellow Brazilian by a shido (warning.)

Despite losing his second game, Nacif had a shot at a medal an played a bronze medal game. He won his fight, thus earning the 3rd spot in the competition and getting on that podium.

Congratulations Nacif. Keep up the great results!

The post Nacif Elias – Bronze Medalist at Judo World Cup appeared first on Sports 961.

20 Mar. 2017 – Check out this photo album from Hoops vs Champville in the Lebanese basketball league. Photos by Lara Arapguirlian / Sportscode Images.

The post Hoops vs Champville – Lebanese Basketball League Pictures appeared first on Sports 961.

20 Mar. 2017 – Check out this photo album from Byblos vs Louaize in the Lebanese Basketball League. Photos by Christian Azar / Sportscode Images.

The post Byblos vs Louaize – Lebanese Basketball League Pictures appeared first on Sports 961.

20 Mar. 2017 – As more and more games are being played in the Lebanese volleyball league final 8, Speedball Chekka continues its solid display so far this season and remain the team to beat.

This time, they managed to defeat Tannourine 3-1 (25-19 26-24 22-25 27-25). The game between both was amazing and the sets were close, but the leaders were able to emerge victorious.

On the other hand, Zahra found no difficulty overcoming Bouchrieh and won 3-0 (25-14 25-15 25-15).

Results continue with Phoenicia Jbeil beating Anwar 3-0 (25-18 25-12 25-23) and Amchit defeating Halat 3-2 (22-25 28-26 20-25 25-22 15-13) in a very close tie.

The post Lebanese Volleyball Final 8 – Speedball Continue their Show of Force appeared first on Sports 961.

20 Mar. 2017 – The finals of the Women Futsal league kicked off on Sunday the 19th between Shooters Club and USJ Club 1875.

Shooters, the title holders, fell short as USJ scored 2 goals to end the game 2-0 grabbing an important win, and leading the series 1-0.

It’s worth mentioning that Shooter drew against USJ in the regular season.

The next game will take place on Wednesday the 22nd at USJ.

Will we see a new futsal champion this year? Or will Shooters Club come from behind to defend their title?

The post Lebanese Women Futsal Championship Final appeared first on Sports 961.

20 Mar.2017– After some tough encounters in round 16, here is your Lebanese lineup of the week.

At PG, it was easy to choose Miguel Martinez who has been elevating his game throughout the season. He finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 block. Knocking on the NT doors, no doubt about that.

Our SG is from Louaize too. Yeah you guessed it! Jimmy Salem stepped up when his team needed him. With Elie Stephan out he was the man to sink those dagger threes. He had a great night against Mayrouba finishing with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal. You go young fella.

Against Hoops and with Fadi out, someone had to fill the void. With great leadership and heart, Nadim Souaid was the go-to guy for Homenetmen. He had 23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. He likes to be called Capitano, well he was one that night.

Whether he likes it or not, our PF is the captain of his team. After his tremendous showing lately, Bassel Bawji was promoted to team captain. His excellent performance continued against Byblos as he had 13 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block and 1 steal. Nice work captain.

Our center for this week is known for his versatility, heart, and defensive presence. He led his team in scoring, notching 19 points along with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks. If you still didn’t know who I am talking about then you definitely don’t watch Lebanese Basketball. Ali Haidar, you the man!

The post The Best Lebanese Lineup For Round 16- Lebanese Basketball League appeared first on Sports 961.

20 Mar. 2017 – Check out this photo album from Tadamon vs Sagesse in the Lebanese basketball league. Photos by Christophe Akiki / Sportscode Images.

The post Tadamon vs Sagesse – Lebanese Basketball League Pictures appeared first on Sports 961.

20 Mar. 2017 – Check out this photo album from Beirut First vs Amal Bikfaya in the Lebanese basketball division 2 championship. Photos by Jenny Etre / Sportscode Images.

The post Beirut First vs Amal Bikfaya – Lebanese Basketball Division 2 Pictures appeared first on Sports 961.