Doha: Lebanon’s Al Riyadi Club Beirut is scheduled to face the Egyptian Zamalek in two friendly games on September 2 and 4, taking place in the women’s sports hall located within the Aspire Zone.
The first game will commence at 8:30 PM on Monday, with the subsequent game occurring at the same time two days later.
These encounters present a significant opportunity for both teams to evaluate their preparations ahead of the upcoming season. Mohammed bin Saad Al Mughaiseeb, President of the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF), expressed his excitement about hosting these events, emphasizing that they are part of a broader initiative to promote Doha as the host city for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which will mark a historic first for the Middle East and North Africa region.
The Lebanese Al Riyadi Club Beirut, reigning champions of Lebanon and Asia, are also gearing up for the Intercontinental Cup for continental champions, scheduled to take place in Singapore from September 12 to 15.
The Lebanese team will compete in Group A, which features Malaga from Spain and Petro do Onda from Angola. Al Riyadi Beirut’s opening match is set against Malaga on September 13, followed by a game against Petro do Onda on September 14.
Ahmed Fran, the technical director of Al Riyadi, emphasized the significance of the friendly matches against Zamalek as a crucial component of his team’s preparation.
He expressed confidence in the new players, Manny Harris and Traven Thibodeaux, to effectively fill the void left by Jonathan Simmons and Thon Maker.
Fran urged Lebanese fans to rally behind the team during this pivotal period. Meanwhile, Tarek El-Saeed, the head of the basketball department at Zamalek, affirmed his team’s readiness for the upcoming two matches. The roster for Zamalek includes players such as Omar Hisham, Moaz Ayman, Ahmed Yasser Abdel-Wahab, Ali Omar, Omar Azab, Mahab Yasser, Mohamed Younes, Adam Al-Halouni, Bahaa Ramadan, Ahmed Azab, Mohamed Ibrahim, Mohamed Ayman, and Ahmed Ismail.
The technical staff for Zamalek’s basketball team is led by Wael Badr as the technical director, with Mohamed El-Saharty serving as the general coach, Islam Gomaa as the team doctor, Mohamed Saeed as the load planner, and Mustafa Mohsen as the administrative director.
