League ends with top four unchanged

AMMAN — The country’s Premier Basketball League has concluded with Applied Science University (ASU) winning the title for the second consecutive and fourth time in their history.

ASU beat Ittihad 3-1 in the best-of-five finals (78-65, 87-80 and 97-72) and dropped one match (80-66).

Riyadi won third place after beating Kulieh 2-0 in the best-of-three play-off (91-87 and 80-75). Orthodoxi finished fifth.

No import players were allowed this season while observers noted a gap in competitive levels of clubs and lack of fans, which has cast a negative impact on the second most popular game in Jordan.

Jordan Basketball Federation League Commissioner Mudar Majdoub told The Jordan Times in an interview that many aspects need revision, noting that clubs had agreed “not to hold the Jordan Cup nor enlist import players until new criteria is put in place”.

In the 2012 season, ASU won the league for the third time, Ittihad schools were runner-up as Riyadi took third and Kulieh fourth. Former champs Orthodoxi pulled out of the event, citing result and technicalities that allowed Kulieh to advance to Round 2.

In 2011, Orthodoxi ended a 10-year drought and won their record 22nd title when they beat titleholders ASU. Kufr Youba beat Riyadi for third place.

Established in 2007, ASU were crowned First Division champs in 2007 and were promoted to Premier Basketball League in the 2008/09 season, finishing runner-up before winning the league four times so far. 

They finished fourth at the 21st Asian Champions Cup and were third at the 22nd Arab Clubs Basketball Championship in 2009 when Zain conceded their Arab title.