ASU move to Asian Clubs Championship

AMMAN — Jordan Premier Basketball League champs Applied  Science University (ASU) returned home from Iran this weekend after finishing third at the 17th West Asian Clubs Championship.

Iran’s Mahram beat compatriot Petroshemi 90-73 to win the title for the fourth time. Mahram, ASU and Iraq’s Kahraba moved to the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Asian Champions Cup which will be held in Kuwait June 5-13.

In round 1, ASU lost to Kahraba 79-76, beat Syria’s Jeish 79-57 and lost to Petroshemi 99-63. 

In the quarters, they beat Syria’s Wihda 88-86 to move to the semis, where they lost  to Petroshemi 82-64. They beat Kahraba 79-65 in the third-place match.

Jordan’s other representative in the event, Ittihad Schools, bowed out of the quarters.

This year, ASU won the country’s league title for the second consecutive and fourth time in their history after they beat Ittihad 3-1 in the best-of-five finals. Riyadi won third place after beating Kulieh 2-0 in the best-of-three play-off.

The West Asian Clubs Championship, organised by the West Asian Basketball Association (WABA), stipulates that the top three teams, provided they represent different countries, qualify to the ABC’s Champions Cup. Zain were the only Jordanian team to win the Asian title in 2006.