Aline Bannayan, The Jordan Times

 

AMMAN — Stage 4 of the Premier Basketball League starts today with neither the reigning champs nor the runners-up leading the standings so far.

Riyadi play Orthodoxi today as ASU play Kulieh.

The League tipped off on February 3 with eight teams — reigning champs Applied Science University (ASU), Riyadi, Orthodoxi, Wihdat, Kufr Youba, Kulieh, Jalil and Ashrafieh.

The biggest surprise has been Kufr Youba, who reached the 9th Jordan Basketball Cup final but lost 65-58 to Riyadi while aiming for their first ever title. The newcomers, whose line-up is mainly made up of former ASU players, beat veterans Orthodoxi 72-63 before disposing of Cup titleholders ASU 77-62 to reach the final.

As the League tipped off Kufr Youba were again impressive as they beat Wihdat 94-43, Riyadi 68-59 and ASU 68-66 to tie current leaders Orthodoxi on points. Orthodoxi lead on points after they beat Wihdat 65-48, Kulieh 87-57, and Jalil 89-72. ASU trail in third place after beating Ashrafieh 99-31 and Jalil 88-46, and losing to Kufr Youba.

Team roasters also changed with Zeid Abbas, Osama Douglas and Rasheim Wright — all playing abroad.

The League and Cup saw newly transferred players joining their new teams — Fadel Najjar, Nidal Sharif, Khaldoun Abu Ruqaya, and Malek Khashan moved to Kufr Youba, Orthodoxi signed veterans Zeid Alkhas and Enver Soubzoukov, and Riyadi’s line-up was boosted by former Orthodoxi and six-time champ Zain star Ayman Dueis, who now has an offer to play abroad and will not continue with Riyadi.

ASU were crowned Jordan’s champs after six-time former League champs Zain pulled out of the 2010 League and disbanded the team leaving the field wide open for ASU to take the title of the leading tourney in a shortened version in which only Riyadi, Orthodoxi and Wihdat competed.

Before Zain joined the scene, Orthodoxi were the record breaking basketball team and had a consecutive five-year reign over main competitors Ahli in the League (formerly First Division) before being upstaged in 1997 by Jazira (now Riyadi).

After 2003, Zain became Jordan’s undisputed basketball powerhouse. The withdrawal of Zain emptied the local scene of a dominant squad — winning the League six consecutive years, being the only Jordanian team to be crowned champions of the Asian Basketball Confederation Champions Cup in 2006, and capturing the 2008 Arab Clubs Basketball Championship title.

Established in 2007, ASU were crowned First Division champ in the same year and were promoted to Premier League in the 2008/09 season, finishing runner-up. They finished fourth at the 21st Champions Cup and were third at the Arab Clubs Basketball Championship in 2009, when Zain conceded their title.

 Standings

 Team

 Orthodoxi

 Kufr Youba

 ASU

 Riyadi

 Wihdat

 Kulieh

 Jalil

 Ashrafieh
 

P

3

3

3

3

3

3

4

4
 

W

3

3

2

2

1

1

1

0
 

L

0

0

1

1

2

1

3

4
 

GF

241

230

253

249

157

168

221

196
 

GA

178

168

145

173

193

213

305

340
 

Pts

6

6

5

5

4

4

5

4