Club Central Jounieh earned a valuable 93-84 road win over Beirut Club in the Arab Nations Cup, using a strong second half and timely perimeter shooting to pull away in a highly competitive matchup. The result gives Jounieh a significant boost in the competition while leaving Beirut Club to regroup after a promising start slipped away.

Match overview

The game opened with both teams trading baskets at a high tempo. Beirut Club fed off the home crowd and attacked the paint early, while Jounieh answered with quick ball movement and confident three-point shooting. The first quarter ended with Jounieh holding a narrow 24-21 edge.

Beirut responded well in the second period, tightening their defense and converting turnovers into transition points. By halftime, the home side had edged ahead 45-43. The momentum appeared to be shifting, but Jounieh had other plans.

The quarter-by-quarter scoring told the story: 21-24, 24-19, 18-25, 21-25. Jounieh won the third and fourth quarters by a combined 14 points, turning a two-point halftime deficit into a nine-point victory.

Key moments

The decisive stretch arrived midway through the third quarter. With Beirut leading 56-52, Jounieh unleashed a 12-2 run capped by two consecutive three-pointers from the wing. That burst forced Beirut into a timeout and shifted the energy in the gym.

Beirut fought back within four points early in the fourth, but Jounieh’s guards remained calm under pressure. A pair of clutch baskets in the final three minutes, followed by steady free-throw shooting, sealed the win and denied Beirut a late comeback.

Tactical story

Jounieh’s victory was built on perimeter efficiency and ball movement. They consistently found open shooters against Beirut’s help defense and finished with a strong assist-to-turnover ratio. Their ability to stretch the floor opened driving lanes and created second-chance opportunities through aggressive offensive rebounding.

Beirut Club did much of their damage inside, scoring effectively around the rim and drawing fouls. However, costly turnovers in the third quarter and a few empty possessions in the closing minutes proved decisive. Defensively, Beirut struggled to contain Jounieh’s backcourt penetration and gave up too many clean looks from beyond the arc.

Standout performers

• Karim Azar led Club Central Jounieh with 26 points and seven assists, controlling the game down the stretch.
• Elie Haddad added 18 points and 10 rebounds, providing a strong inside-outside presence.
• For Beirut Club, Jad Mansour scored 22 points, while Wael Saad contributed 16 points and eight rebounds.
• Jounieh’s bench also made an impact, supplying timely scoring and defensive energy in the second half.

What the result means

The win moves Club Central Jounieh into a stronger position in the Arab Nations Cup and hands them an important head-to-head advantage in the campaign. For Beirut Club, the loss is a missed opportunity on home soil, but the performance showed enough offensive promise to suggest they can respond in their next outing. Jounieh will enjoy the result, while Beirut must quickly correct their third-quarter struggles and late-game execution.