BEIRUT: Lebanon claimed an emphatic 91-72 victory over the Philippines on day six of the William Jones Cup, lifting their overall record to 2-4 in the tournament with just two games remaining.
Downbeat after four consecutive losses, the Cedars clearly had a point to prove against the unbeaten Philippines side. They didn’t disappoint. The victory will boost the team’s morale after fans had called for the resignation of head coach Ghassan Sarkis.
Downbeat after four consecutive losses, the Cedars clearly had a point to prove against the unbeaten Philippines side. They didn’t disappoint. The victory will boost the team’s morale after fans had called for the resignation of head coach Ghassan Sarkis.
At the end of the first quarter the score stood at 22-15, but from then on Lebanon were rampant.
The Cedars, playing with a high tempo defense, found their way into the passing lanes and made the most of every scoring opportunity to net easy baskets.
It was also a great night for shooting, with Elie Stephan alone scoring seven 3-pointers, and Lebanon were on top (74-46) at the end of the third quarter, with naturalized American Jarrid Famous grabbing a great dunk to give Lebanon a 30-point lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
“We have new additions to the team and this tournament is great preparation,” Akl told The Daily Star. “We see the improvement every day. We have a greater passing game offensively and a smarter team tempo. Our defense is working better and players are feeling much better on court.”
Lebanon will play the U.S. Saturday.