Riyadi lead as Orthodoxi take on Hurrieh on weekend

AMMAN — Basketball matches on the weekend will again be vital and exciting as competition heats up with the top four playing Stage 3 matches in the battle for the play-offs.

Riyadi will next play Awdeh — the team that managed to beat Round 1 unbeaten leaders Hurrieh 65-61 last week. So far, Riyadi beat Hurrieh 73-67 and Orthodoxi 73-65. The team reversed their Round 1 form when they were close to many wins which seemed not within their grasp. Now Riyadi need to keep their focus as Orthodoxi also heat up the competition after they beat Awdeh 86-82 before they play Hurrieh in the last week of the current leg.

Following two legs of matches in the current Round 2, final standings from 1-4 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 in the battle to avoid relegation. So far, Jalil beat Nashama 52-45, Kufr Youba beat Ghazzet Hashem 73-57, Ghazzet Hashem beat Jalil 73-48 and Kufr Youba beat Nashama 78-68.

Apart from Orthodoxi and Riyadi, the league has undergone many changes. Former champs Applied Science University and Ittihad have pulled out of competitions over differences with the Jordan Basketball Federation and their players have been dispersed to other clubs. Clubs with no fan base are competing in what is seen as a sharp decline in the game locally and internationally.