The Lebanese basketball team is set to host New Zealand on Thursday, November 10, at 9 PM in the Pierre Gemayel Hall at the Camille Chamoun Sports City in Bourj Hassan, as part of the fifth window of the Asian qualifiers for the World Basketball Championship, which will be hosted by three Asian countries next year. Both teams have already secured qualification. Lebanon will participate in the World Championship for the fourth time, following its appearances in 2002, 2006, and 2010 (with a "wild card" invitation).
This match holds special significance as Lebanon managed to achieve its first victory over New Zealand in the recent Asian Championship, where Lebanon finished as the runner-up. The "Cedars" will miss key players, including Wael Arakji, who was named the best player in the Asian Championship, and Sergio Drewish, who is recovering from a foot fracture.
In the same window, Lebanon will also host the Indian team in the same hall on Sunday, November 13. The Lebanese Federation announced that tickets for both matches are now available, noting that basketball games are returning to the Pierre Gemayel Hall for the first time after a long absence. The hall and its facilities were upgraded through an initiative by Sheikh Pierre Daher, Chairman of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation. The venue can accommodate about four thousand spectators, with seats allocated for distinguished guests holding high-priced tickets. This is the second venue available to the Lebanese Basketball Federation after the Nohad Nawfal Sports Complex in Zouk Mikael, and it meets the standards set by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
