Riyadi aim to assert lead

AMMAN — Fans hope the upcoming Premier Basketball League matches will provide more excitement on Monday as the top four play stage 2 matches after surprising results in the opening of Round 2. 

Riyadi beat Orthodoxi 73-65 while Awdeh ended Hurrieh’s unbeaten run 65-60. It was a vital win for Riyadi, who mostly have a young line-up and were lacking the proper finish to seal their wins throughout Round 1. For Awdeh, it was a slim, yet vital win over the still unbeaten team.

In the upcoming matches Awdeh play Orthodoxi while Riyadi play Hurrieh. Following two legs of matches in the current Round 2, final standings from one through four will be decided to determine who advances to the final play-offs for the title.

Hurrieh finished Round 1 with an unbeaten record, while Orthodoxi were second after they beat Riyadi in the final week. With teams like Applied Science University, Ittihad, Wihdat pulling out of the competition, Awdeh joined the top four. 

The bottom four include Jalil, Ghazzet Hashem, Kufr Youba and Nashama and are now playing two legs as well in the battle to avoid relegation. Jalil beat Nashama 52-45 while Kufr Youba beat Ghazzet Hashem 73-57. Jalil play Ghazzet Hashem and Kufr Youba take on Nashama on Monday.

Orthodoxi won their record 23rd league title last year and started off the season by winning the Jordan Cup, beating closest rivals Riyadi in the final minutes of the match.

Apart from Orthodoxi and Riyadi, the basketball league has undergone many changes with the leading clubs abandoning the game.