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Al Riyadi Club Beirut

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Al Riyadi
Al Riyadi logo
Nicknameدولة الرياضي[1]
The Yellow Castle
LeaguesLebanese Basketball League
Basketball Champions League Asia
Founded1934; 90 years ago (1934)
HistoryAl Riyadi Club Beirut
(1934–present)
ArenaSaeb Salam Arena
Capacity2,500
LocationManara, Beirut, Lebanon
Team coloursYellow, White and Blue
     
PresidentMazen Tabbara
Head coachAhmad Farran
Team captainAmir Saoud
Championships3 Champions League Asia
1 West Asia Super League
4 WABA Champions Cup
5 Arab Club Championship
31 Lebanese League
4 Lebanese Cup
2 Lebanese Supercup
Retired numbers3 (10, 6, 4)
Websiteriyadi.com
Al Riyadi's office in Beirut, 2022

Al Riyadi Club Beirut (Arabic: نادي الرياضي بيروت, lit. 'Sporting Club Beirut'), commonly known simply as Al Riyadi, is a multi-sports club team based in Manara, a district in Beirut, Lebanon. Founded in 1934,[2] the multi-sports club, which is mainly known for their basketball program, also plays ping-pong, martial arts, and other sports.

Al Riyadi is the most successful basketball team in Lebanese history, and one of the best in Asian basketball.[3][4] Competing in the Lebanese Basketball League, Al Riyadi is the most decorated Lebanese basketball club, with 31 league titles, a joint-record three Basketball Champions League Asia titles, and five Arab Club Championships. Nicknamed "the Yellow Castle", basketball team plays its home games at the Saeb Salam Arena.[4]

History

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Al Riyadi Club was founded in 1934 by Hussein Sejaan, Hassan Ladki, Fouad Zantout, Youssef Shaker, Mustafa Shaker, Zouheir Yatim, Helmi Chehab, and Wafic Nsouli, who formed the first basketball team.[2] They began playing in "Rawshe", their first facility. In 1945, the Ministry of Interior gave permission to the club to join various sports leagues, including basketball, volleyball, handball, tennis and ping pong.

The team played its first game against a foreign team in 1947, when Al Riyadi faced Turkish club Galatasaray, and lost the game 33–39. The game was attended by the first President of Lebanon Bechara El Khoury.[2]

Al Riyadi began dominiating the national basketball scene in the 1950s, winning nine out of ten Lebanese Basketball League seasons in the decade.

Al Riyadi launched its first women's basketball team in 1965. The club built its own sports arena, the Saeb Salam Arena, in 1991, helped by former President Tammam Salam.[2]

In the 2023–24 season, Al Riyadi won its 31st league championship.[5] On 1 June 2024, they won their first FIBA West Asia Super League championship.[6] On June 15, Al Riyadi also won the 2024 Basketball Champions League Asia championship, their third Asian continental title.[7] As champions, they qualified directly for the 2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, as the first Lebanese team in history to do so.[8]

Arenas and facilities

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The Saeb Salam Arena was finished in 1991 and holds a capacity for 2,500 people.[9]

Home arenas
Arena Tenure
Rawshe 1934–1947
Sanayeh 1947–1954
Rawshe 1954–1991
Saeb Salam Arena 1991–present

Achievements

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The following is a list of achievements the club has won.[10]

Domestic

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International

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Players

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Retired numbers

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Al Riyadi retired numbers
N° Player Position Tenure Ceremony date
4 Jean Abdelnour SF 2009–2023 13 December 2023[15]
6 Ali Mahmoud PG 2004–2016, 2017–2019
10 Ismail Ahmad C 2000–01, 2004–2017, 2018–20, 2022–present

Current roster

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Al Riyadi roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age
PF 1 Egypt Ahmad, Ismail 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 47 – (1976-09-23)23 September 1976
F 2 Australia Maker, Thon 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in) 27 – (1997-02-25)25 February 1997
SG 3 Lebanon Daaboul, Georges Yves 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 25 – (1999-05-20)20 May 1999
SG 5 Lebanon Saoud, Amir 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 33 – (1991-01-18)18 January 1991
C 6 Lebanon Ziadeh, Marwan 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 37 – (1987-02-10)10 February 1987
SG 7 Lebanon Zeinoun, Karim 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 25 – (1999-06-16)16 June 1999
C 9 Bosnia and Herzegovina Kikanović, Elmedin 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 35 – (1988-09-02)2 September 1988
PG 10 Lebanon Mansour, Ali 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 26 – (1998-01-01)1 January 1998
F 14 Lebanon Tabbara, Bilal 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 31 – (1993-05-25)25 May 1993
G 16 Lebanon Arakji, Wael 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) 29 – (1994-09-04)4 September 1994
G 23 United States Lofton, Zach 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 31 – (1992-11-18)18 November 1992
F 24 Lebanon Gyokchyan, Hayk 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 34 – (1989-12-11)11 December 1989
Head coach
  • Lebanon Ahmad Farran
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured
Updated: 5 January 2024

Depth chart

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Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Elmedin Kikanović Marwan Ziadeh Ismail Ahmad
PF Thon Maker Bilal Tabbara
SF Hayk Gyokchyan Zach Lofton
SG Karim Zeinoun Amir Saoud Mohamad Kraidly
PG Wael Arakji Ali Mansour

See also

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References

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  1. ^ ""دولة الرياضي" تواجه انتفاضة دينامو لبنان".
  2. ^ a b c d "Our History - Al Riyadi Beirut Club". 12 May 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Meet the BCL Asia 2024 Teams: Al Riyadi". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b "كووورة: الموقع العربي الرياضي الأول". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Riyadi champion du Liban pour la 31e fois, Sagesse s'incline « la tête haute »" (in French). L'Orient-Le Jour. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Al Riyadi emerge as new FIBA WASL champions". FIBA.basketball. 1 June 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Wael Arakji leads Al Riyadi to a dominating title in first-ever BCL Asia". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Historic FIBA Intercontinental Cup, star-studded Hall of Fame ceremony will align in Singapore". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Meet the FIBA WASL West Asia teams: Al Riyadi". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  10. ^ Eurobasket. "Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut". asia-basket. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  11. ^ "FIBA Asia - Thrilla in Manila Part II: Riyadi down Mahram again, this time in final". FIBA. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Al Riyadi are the kings of FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017". FIBA. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Al Riyadi deliver masterclass at home, secure inaugural WASL-West Asia crown". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Al Riyadi finish off Gorgan, secure back-to-back West Asia titles". FIBA.basketball. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
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