Lebanese Basketball Championship - Men Division One - Regular Season 2005/06

Starters:      Lamine Diawara - Elie Mechantaf - Bassem Balaa - Fady Khatib - Kenny Satterfield
Substitutes:   Rodrigue Nacouzi - Maurice Abou Kanaan - Paul Khoury - Joe Ghattas
 

Sagesse fourth league game was another chance for the Greens to prove their status as dangerous title contenders. Although Feytroun managed to lead at the beginning of the quarter, Sagesse effectively knew how to smoothly wrap things up.

The surprising 0-6 lead for Feytroun rang the alarm bell for the team which needed to react fast in order to regain control over the game. The fans had to wait 20 seconds after the starting whistle to cheer for Sagesse first basket! Nonetheless, the players managed to react on the spot, mainly through passes between Fadi and Lamine, tying the score 6-6.

Coach Fields' strategy relied on Bassem and Lamine on the inside plus the standard power trio Elie, Fadi and Kenny.
More shakiness and instability persisted allowed Feitroun to break again 6-10 at 6 minutes to the end of the 1st quarter. Offensive and defensive lacks allowed Feytroun to succeed ins teals and benefit from turnovers.
However, it was Balaa's will and determination that saved the day at that particular moment : In addition to his rebounds, he managed to finally create the break 12-11 thanks to a superb three pointer!
So far, Sagesse was focusing on offense, taking advantage of another successful three pointer from the tiger (18-13), while the presence of Lamine was of a big help: Although he didn't benefit from most of his free throws, he saved the team with remarkable rebounds, dunks and blockshots, shining on the defense besides Balaa who was also doing great and helping under the basket.
Another 3 pointer from Khatib increased the gap to 10 points and relieved the fans in the packed stadium. However, although comfortable on the 3 points arc, Feytroun were unlucky and ended a 1st quarter they started well trailing by 8 points 25-18.

This scenario resumed in the second quarter, with more rebounds for Lamine, while the playing pace was noticeably slowing down with both teams scoreless till another intervention by the same Balaa who raised the score to 27-18.
An unjustified loosening and carelessness allowed Feytroun to come back seriously and narrow the gap to 27-25, forcing coach Fields to rotate his squad, replacing MEchantaf and Balaa with Nacouzi and Abou Kanaan. Doing a good job on defense, both managed to give Feytroun players a hard time but still without much efficiency offensively, with the score still dangerously tight 31-30.
It was at 4':16" left till halftime that the lethal offensive machine finally geared up, with a steal/speed show put on by the lightning duo Satterfield/Khatib, forcing their opponents to commit many fouls in a last measure attempt to stop them. Within 30 seconds, Feytroun had four players with 2 fouls each!

With the three pointers slightly absent offensively, Maurice's efforts were clear on defense along with Lamine who managed to draw 2 fouls in less than 15 seconds! With Balaa again on court, the break increased to 45-40 for the Greens. However, the bigger gap Sagesse reached but couldn't maintain was of 10 points, narrowed to 8 by the time both teams headed for the locker room (48-40 to Sagesse), loaded with 11 fouls for Feytroun and 8 for Sagesse.

Sluggishness set in and it took both teams two minutes to alter the score. Paul stepped in for the first time with Sagesse leading 56-50.
From then onwards, Sagesse imposed their favourite fast system, with steals from Kenny and quick passes from the trio, and soon the Greens were 13 points ahead after a 3 pointer from the captain (64-50).
Paul was doing well defensively, upsetting former team mate Joe Mansour who failed some of his 3 points shots.
Answering some high voices requesting his replacement with Chibani, Kenny replied with a 3 pointer, raising the score to 67-52, a figure that would stay put for almost 2 minutes.

Again the fast play and fast breaks from the greens while Feytroun seemed exhausted, using slow passes and twice falling to the clock violation trap.
Raising the fire and the thrill, the Green trio resumed with more consecutive 3 pointers and more "Chihuahuas" from the tiers! Sagesse ended the 3rd quarter in beauty 75-54, with an uncounted 3 pointer for Kenny sent from the center spot, replying to Joe Mansour's same unlucky attempt.

Joe Ghattas replaced his skipper Mechantaf at the start of the last quarter, while Lamine and Bassem took over on the inside. The fire was on again with a variety of rebounds, steals, blockshots and dunks, the whole orchestrated by maestro Diawara.
Balaa displayed obvious excitement, creating many occasions for shooting and stealing, although sometimes lacking the finishing touch.
Feytroun increased the throttle, playing fast in a desperate attempt to close the break or at least reduce it. But the Tiger return on court had the opposite effect and soon the gap widened to 84-61.
Lamine maintaining his superb defensive performance allowed his team to create a 7-0 run at 91-64, culminating at 96-66 to reach a 30 points gap, with the twin-towers (Khoury and Diawara) causing severe damage in their opponents' ranks.
The peak was maintained till the final buzzer, ending the game 104-70, with another outstanding performance for Diawara, ending with a double double as best rebounder with 15 rebounds and scoring 20, while Kahtib had another game high of 34 points.

-Game statistics chart courtesy of Al-Balad newspaper - Sports Section ©-Al-Balad-2005 - All Rights reserved: