The Lebanese men's national basketball team has qualified for the semi-finals of the Asian Basketball Championship held in Indonesia until next Sunday, after defeating China with a score of (72-69) in the quarter-finals match that took place on Wednesday afternoon. Lebanon achieved multiple milestones with this impressive victory over the Chinese, as they not only advanced to the semi-finals and became one of the top four nations in Asia and Oceania, but also secured their first win against China in an Asian Championship event, having previously defeated them during the World Cup qualifiers in 2018. Furthermore, Lebanon maintained an unbeaten record in the current championship, winning all their matches against the Philippines, New Zealand, and India in the group stage and now against China in the quarter-finals, avenging their losses to the Chinese in the Asian Championship finals in 2001 in China and 2005 in Qatar.
Lebanon's ranking (54th globally and 9th continentally) on the international and continental classification lists is expected to significantly improve with the team advancing to the final round. Before the match, the odds were on the side of the Chinese, who regained four star players after recovering from the "Corona" pandemic and defeated Indonesia by fifty points in the match leading to the quarter-finals. However, the Lebanese team proved to be resilient and fierce, capable of overcoming any opponent, regardless of their stature, and defeating China (ranked 29th in the world and 4th in Asia) is clear evidence of the Lebanese team's strength and outstanding performance in the championship—marking their fourth consecutive victory in the Asian Championship against strong contenders like New Zealand and China.
Lebanon will face Jordan in the semi-finals next Saturday in a new "Classic" matchup for the West Asian region between the two Arab teams that advanced to the penultimate round after Jordan defeated Iran on Wednesday, eliminating them from the competition.
To speak the truth, Lebanon’s players, under the guidance of national coach Jad Haj, delivered a brilliant performance, with Wael Arakji shining the brightest as he scored 32 points, dominating the game and outmaneuvering the Chinese players, who failed to "crack the code" of this great player, who proved his exceptional talent with a flurry of shots from various distances, demonstrating his presence during critical moments and cementing his status as one of the top players in the championship.
### Match Highlights
In the course of the match, the Lebanese players surprised their Chinese opponents with a dominant start (10-2) and (15-10), leading to a Lebanese first quarter score of (17-13). In the second quarter, Lebanon continued its control over the Chinese giants (25-18)(39-29) showing great performance, maintaining a 10-point lead by the end of the quarter (39-30). In the third quarter, Lebanon showcased strong offense and defense, extending the lead to 16 points (49-33) and finishing the third quarter favorably at (57-45).
In the final quarter, the Lebanese team showed noticeable fatigue, allowing the Chinese to narrow the gap to four points (55-59). The excitement peaked with a tie (61-61), and for the first time in the match, the Chinese took the lead (64-63). However, Haik Koukjian responded with a stunning three-pointer from a difficult position, giving Lebanon the lead again (66-64). The score was tied again (66-66), and here Arakji took control of the game, leading Lebanon ahead (71-66). China countered with a three-pointer (71-69), and in the dying seconds of the match, Jonathan Arledge made a historic block against one of the Chinese players, who was in a good position for a three-pointer. The match concluded with a historic win for Lebanon over China with a score of (72-69), securing Lebanon a place in the semi-finals of the 2022 Asian Championship where they will face Jordan, aiming for a place in the final for the fourth time after 2001, 2005, and 2007.
**Scorers for Lebanon:** Wael Arakji (32 points), Jonathan Arledge (16), Sergio Darwish (10), Eli Shamoun (6), Haik Koukjian (6), Karim Azzeddine (3).
