Riyadi aim for Jordan Basketball League title

AMMAN — Riyadi will give it all they have as they seek to end the best-of-seven play-offs for the Jordan Basketball League crown when they play Orthodoxi at 6:30pm on Monday.

Following their 81-55 win over the titleholders on Friday, Riyadi now lead the series 3-0 after they beat their rivals twice in Round 2 — 73-65 and 81-73.

Riyadi are just one win away from the winning the title they came close to many time in earlier seasons. The last time they won the league was nearly 20 years ago in 1997 by then Jazira-Aramex team (whose players later on formed Riyadi’s line-up).

Riyadi lost the Jordan Cup to Orthodoxi at the onset of the season. They finished Round 1 in third place after Hurrieh and Orthodoxi, however, they rebounded and became the only unbeaten team in Round 2 beating Orthodoxi twice as well as Awdeh 86-61 and 85-74 Hurrieh 73-67 and 80-77. 

Orthodoxi were unimpressive in the West Asian Basketball Championship and despite signing new players they only managed to beat Hurrieh 78-58 and 67-52 and Awdeh 86-82 and 74-67 but could not beat Riyadi.

On the other hand, Hurrieh and Awdeh are playing the best-of-five play-off for third place. Awdeh are one win away from third place after they beat Hurrieh 65-64 and 65-60 while Hurrieh won once 71-65.

Hurrieh finished Round 1 with an unbeaten record, while Orthodoxi were second after they beat Riyadi. With teams like Applied Science University, Ittihad, Wihdat pulling out of the competition, Awdeh joined the top four. At the other end of the standings, Kufr Youba and Jalil pushed Ghazzet Hashem and Nashama to be relegated to Division 1.

The season started with Orthodoxi winning the Jordan Cup and aiming to retain the league title which they won for the record 23rd time last year. Apart from Riyadi and Orthodoxi, leading clubs abandoning the game this season leading to major changes in the league. After winning the league four times, the last being in 2013 and 2014, both ASU and Ittihad disbanded their teams over differences with the Jordan Basketball Federation. Players were dispersed over the rest of clubs and new clubs with no fan base entered the competition in what has led to a sharp decline in the game locally and Jordan’s regional competitive chances.

The Basketball League, which started in 1952, has had 58 editions with eight teams crowned champion. It was cancelled in three seasons and discontinued once. Orthodoxi have won 23 times, Ahli 21, Zain (Fastlink) six times, ASU four times, Jazira-Aramex twice, Urdun, Watany and the Electricity Co. once each.