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Lebanon men's national basketball team

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This article is about the men's national team. For the women's national team, see Lebanon women's national basketball team.

Lebanon
FIBA ranking29 Steady (November 26, 2024)[1]
Joined FIBA1947
FIBA zoneFIBA Asia
National federationLebanese Basketball Federation (FLB)
CoachMiodrag Perišić
Nickname(s)The Cedars
FIBA World Cup
Appearances4
FIBA Asia Cup
Appearances10
MedalsSilver Silver: (2001, 2005, 2007, 2022)
European Championship
Appearances2
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Medal record
FIBA Asia Cup
Silver medal – second place 2001 China
Silver medal – second place 2005 Qatar
Silver medal – second place 2007 Japan
Silver medal – second place 2022 Indonesia
FIBA Asia Challenge
Gold medal – first place 2010 Lebanon
Arab Championship
Gold medal – first place 2022 United Arab Emirates
Silver medal – second place 2010 Lebanon
Bronze medal – third place 1974 Iraq
Pan Arab Games
Gold medal – first place 1954 Lebanon Team
Silver medal – second place 1961 Morocco Team
WABA Championship
Gold medal – first place 2000 Lebanon
Gold medal – first place 2008 Jordan
Gold medal – first place 2012 Jordan
Gold medal – first place 2015 Jordan
Gold medal – first place 2017 Jordan
Silver medal – second place 1999 Lebanon
Silver medal – second place 2001 Jordan
Silver medal – second place 2005 Lebanon
Silver medal – second place 2013 Iran

The Lebanon men's national basketball team (Arabic: منتخب لبنان لكرة السلة; French: Équipe du Liban de basket-ball), controlled by the Lebanese Basketball Federation (FLB), has represented Lebanon in basketball since its inception in 1947. The squad is governed by FIBA, and is part of the FIBA Asia zone.

Lebanon has achieved success throughout its history, finishing as runners-up in the FIBA Asia Cup on four occasions: 2001, 2005, 2007, and most recently in 2022. The team has also made appearances in the FIBA World Championship on four occasions (2002, 2006, 2010, and 2023), but have not progressed beyond the preliminary round.

History

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Early history

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Basketball arrived in Lebanon in the mid-1920s, initially introduced at the American University of Beirut. The official organization of basketball in the country began in 1949 with the establishment of the Lebanese Basketball Federation (French: Fédération Libanaise de Basketball). This period also saw the founding of the Lebanese Volleyball Federation, marking a key moment for Lebanese sports development.[2]

The early years of international competition for Lebanon involved a unique approach. The Soviet Union's refusal to host Eurobasket 1949 and FIBA Europe's decision not to ask Czechoslovakia to host consecutive tournaments led to Egypt, the Eurobasket 1947 bronze medalist, hosting the competition. Due to travel challenges and concerns, few European teams participated. In an unconventional move, Lebanon and Syria, both Asian countries, were invited to participate in this European championship.[3] Making their Eurobasket 1949 debut, Lebanon finished in seventh place after losing all six games in the seven-team round-robin format.[4]

The team's second attempt at the European competition came at the Eurobasket 1953 in Moscow. During the preliminary rounds, Lebanon lost all four games, including one by forfeit due to their decision not to play against Israel. Their first victory in the tournament came against Sweden in the classification round, marking a significant milestone as Lebanon's first win in Eurobasket history. Placing fourth in their five-team group, Lebanon advanced to the 13–16 classification games. While they narrowly lost to West Germany (58–56), they secured a victory over Denmark (74–40), ultimately finishing 15th out of the 17 participating teams.[5]

2000–2010: Three-time Asian runners-up and World Cup Appearances

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Lebanon achieved notable results in the early 2000s, solidifying their presence in the Asian basketball landscape. They finished second at the 2001 ABC Championship after a 63–97 loss to China in the final. The tournament showcased the skills of Lebanon's guard, Walid Doumiati, who was awarded the tournament's Best Playmaker. Alongside him, forward Fadi El Khatib also earned a spot on the All-Star Five lineup.[6] This silver medal secured Lebanon's participation in the 2002 FIBA World Championship, though their journey ended in the first round of the tournament.[7]

Lebanon repeated their performance by reaching the finals again at the 2005 FIBA Asia Championship. However, their attempt to win the championship was unsuccessful against China, with Lebanon losing 61–77. Fadi El Khatib's performance earned him recognition as the tournament's Best Forward. Additionally, center Joe Vogel also secured a spot in the All-Star Five lineup.[8] Finishing as runners-up granted Lebanon a ticket to the 2006 FIBA World Championship. Although the team secured victories against Venezuela (82–72) and France (74–73), they narrowly missed qualifying for the round of 16 in the World Championship.[7]

The following year, Lebanon achieved second place for the third time at the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship, facing a 74–69 loss to Iran in the final. This loss prevented Lebanon from directly qualifying for the 2008 Summer Olympics.[7] They then entered a separate qualifying tournament where 12 teams competed for the final three Olympic berths. But their journey ended in the Preliminary Round after losing their two games.[9]

At the 2009 FIBA Asia Championship, Lebanon's reached the semifinals. Although they fell short of automatic qualification for the 2010 FIBA World Championship after losses to China and Jordan, Lebanon received a wildcard entry, securing their third consecutive World Cup appearance. Despite a victory against Canada (81–71), Lebanon couldn't progress beyond the group stage in the 2010 FIBA World Championship.[7]

2013 FIBA suspension

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Lebanon encountered a difficult period in July 2013 when the International Basketball Federation FIBA imposed an indefinite suspension. This suspension resulted from unresolved internal conflicts within the Lebanese Basketball Federation. Consequently, FIBA Asia suspended Lebanon from participating in all sanctioned events, effectively barring the country from international competitions until further notice.[10]

The suspension had significant consequences, particularly impacting Lebanon's participation in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship. This tournament served as a qualifying event for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. Despite securing a spot in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship based on their second-place finish in the 2013 West Asian Basketball Championship, the national federation's suspension led to their exclusion from the tournament.[11]

Following discussions and appeals, FIBA lifted the ban in May 2014, allowing Lebanon's national team to return to international basketball competitions.[12]

2020–present: Asian runners-up and return to the World Cup

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Lebanon displayed a significant resurgence in international basketball, culminating in a noteworthy performance at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup, marking their return to the finals in over a decade. Despite a close contest, Lebanon finished in second place after a narrow 73–75 defeat to Australia.[13] This marked Lebanon's fourth silver medal at the FIBA Asia Cup, adding to their previous runner-up finishes in 2001, 2005, and 2007.[7] The tournament also highlighted the performance of Lebanon's point guard, Wael Arakji, who earned the tournament MVP title, best guard, and a spot on the All-Star Five.[14]

Building on this success, Lebanon continued their journey by securing qualification for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[15] Despite facing a challenging first round with three losses, Lebanon demonstrated determination, closing their World Cup campaign with consecutive victories. They secured wins against Ivory Coast (94–84) and Iran (81–73), during the classification round, concluding their World Cup appearance on a high note.[16]

Lebanon's 23rd place finish at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup[17] granted them entry into the 2024 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments. These tournaments involved twenty-four teams competing for the remaining four slots in the 2024 Summer Olympics basketball competition.[18] Lebanon competed in the qualifiers but did not advance, recording a performance of one victory and two defeats.[19]

Competitive record

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FIBA World Cup

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World Cup Qualification
Year Position Pld W L Squad Pld W L
1950 to 1970 did not enter did not enter
Puerto Rico 1974 did not qualify did not qualify
Philippines 1978 did not enter did not enter
1982 to 1998 did not qualify did not qualify
United States 2002 16th place 5 0 5 Squad FIBA Asia Cup
served as qualifiers
Japan 2006 17th place 5 2 3 Squad
Turkey 2010 20th place 5 1 4 Squad wild card
Spain 2014 suspended suspended
China 2019 did not qualify 12 6 6
PhilippinesJapanIndonesia 2023 23rd place 5 2 3 Squad 12 9 3
Qatar 2027 to be determined to be determined
Total 4/20 20 5 15 24 15 9

Olympic Games

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Olympic Games Qualifying
Year Position Pld W L Pld W L
1936 to 1996 did not enter
Australia 2000 did not qualify FIBA Asia Cup
served as qualifiers
Greece 2004
China 2008 2 0 2
United Kingdom 2012 did not qualify
Brazil 2016
Japan 2020
France 2024 3 1 2
Total 0 0 0 0 5 1 4

EuroBasket

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EuroBasket
Year Position Pld W L
Egypt 1949 7th place 7 1 6
Soviet Union 1953 15th place 7 2 5
Total 14 3 11

FIBA Asia Cup

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FIBA Asia Cup Qualification
Year Position Pld W L Squad Pld W L
1960 to 1997 did not enter did not enter
Japan 1999 7th place 7 4 3 Squad WABA Championship
served as qualifiers
China 2001 Runners-up 8 5 3 Squad
China 2003 4th place 8 5 3 Squad directly qualified
Qatar 2005 Runners-up 8 6 2 Squad WABA Championship
served as qualifiers
Japan 2007 Runners-up 8 6 2 Squad directly qualified
China 2009 4th place 9 5 4 Squad directly qualified
China 2011 6th place 9 4 5 Squad directly qualified as the champions of
2010 FIBA Asia Stanković Cup
Philippines 2013 suspended WABA Championship
served as qualifiers
China 2015 5th place 9 5 4 Squad
Lebanon 2017 6th place 7 4 3 Squad qualified as host
Indonesia 2022 Runners-up 6 5 1 Squad 6 6 0
Saudi Arabia 2025 qualified to be determined
Total 11/31 79 49 30 8 8 0

West Asian Basketball Championship

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WABA Championship
Year Position Pld W L
Lebanon 1999 Runners-up 4 3 1
Lebanon 2000 Champions 4 4 0
Jordan 2001 Runners-up 4 3 1
Jordan Iran 2002 did not enter
Iran 2004 4th place 4 1 3
Lebanon 2005 Runners-up 4 3 1
Jordan 2008 Champions 3 3 0
Iraq 2010 did not enter
Iraq 2011
Jordan 2012 Champions 5 5 0
Iran 2013 Runners-up 3 2 1
Jordan 2014 did not enter
Jordan 2015 Champions 4 4 0
Jordan 2016 4th place 4 1 3
Jordan 2017 Champions 5 5 0
Total 12/15 44 34 10

FIBA Asia Challenge

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The FIBA Asia Challenge, a basketball tournament held every two years for Asian national teams, was previously known as the FIBA Asia Stanković Cup (2004–2010) and FIBA Asia Cup (2012–2014).[20] Lebanon participated in the tournament twice (2010 and 2012) and emerged victorious in 2010.[21] This championship win granted them automatic qualification for the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship.[22]

FIBA Asia Challenge
Year Position Pld W L
Taiwan 2004 did not enter
Kuwait 2008
Lebanon 2010 Champions 7 7 0
Japan 2012 7th place 7 4 3
China 2014 did not enter
Iran 2016
Total 2/6 14 11 3

Team

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Current roster

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Roster for the 2024 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.[23]

Lebanon men's national basketball team – 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
PF 4 Omari Spellman 26 – (1997-07-21)21 July 1997 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) BC Zenit Saint Petersburg Russia
SG 5 Amir Saoud 33 – (1991-01-18)18 January 1991 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Al Riyadi Lebanon
PG 6 Jad Khalil 27 – (1996-11-20)20 November 1996 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Sagesse SC Lebanon
SG 7 Karim Zeinoun 25 – (1999-06-16)16 June 1999 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Al Riyadi Lebanon
SG 9 Sergio El Darwich 27 – (1996-07-25)25 July 1996 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) Beirut Club Lebanon
PG 10 Ali Mansour 26 – (1998-01-01)1 January 1998 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Al Riyadi Lebanon
PF 11 Ali Haidar (C) 33 – (1990-07-20)20 July 1990 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) Beirut Club Lebanon
PF 14 Karim Ezzedine 26 – (1997-08-08)8 August 1997 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) Sagesse SC Lebanon
F 23 Youssef Khayat 21 – (2003-03-11)11 March 2003 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) Bowling Green Falcons United States
PF 24 Hayk Gyokchyan 34 – (1989-12-11)11 December 1989 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Al Riyadi Lebanon
PG 25 Ali Mezher 30 – (1994-03-22)22 March 1994 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) Beirut Club Lebanon
F 34 Gerard Hadidian 29 – (1995-04-21)21 April 1995 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) Sagesse SC Lebanon
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Serbia Marko Filipovic
  • Lebanon Ralph Akl
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on 25 August 2023

Head coach history

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source:[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "FIBA Ranking Presented by Nike". FIBA. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  2. ^ "FLB History". mygameday.app. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  3. ^ "A time when Egypt was on top of European basketball". FIBA. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  4. ^ "EuroBasket 1949". fibaeurope.com. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  5. ^ "EuroBasket 1953". fibaeurope.com. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  6. ^ "FIBA Asia Cup (2001)". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e Flojo, Enzo (15 June 2020). "Asian Legends Series: Lebanon's Fadi El Khatib". FIBA. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  8. ^ "FIBA Asia Cup (2005)". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  9. ^ "2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament". FIBA. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  10. ^ "PR N°19 - FIBA suspends Lebanese Basketball Federation". 19 July 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  11. ^ "27th FIBA Asia C'ship: Fray reduced to 15 after Lebanon suspension". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013.
  12. ^ "Lebanese basketball returns". Executive Magazine. 20 May 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Australia outlast heroic effort from Lebanon for Asia cup title". FIBA. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Wael Arakji named TISSOT MVP, joined on All-Star Five with Maker, McCarron, Smith-Milner, and Zhou". FIBA. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Lebanon qualify for first World cup appearance in 13-years". FIBA. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  16. ^ "Lebanon beat Iran to close with back-to-back wins". FIBA. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  17. ^ "Final Standings". FIBA. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  18. ^ "FIBA confirms the nations still eligible for 2024 Paris Olympic men's basketball". apnews.com. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Lebanon Games - FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 Valencia Spain". FIBA. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  20. ^ "West Asian Basketball Championship tips off". The Jordan Times. 28 January 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  21. ^ "LIB - President hands trophy to victorious Lebanon". FIBA. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  22. ^ "LIB - Lebanon pick Ghassan Sarkis as national team coach". FIBA. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  23. ^ "Lebanon roster for the FIBA Olympic Qualifier Tournament". 11 July 2024.
  24. ^ Beaino, Jalal (18 December 2023). "Basketball: Lebanese Coaches, Global Successes". This is Beirut.
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