Basketball league enters Week 3

AMMAN — The Premier Basketball League enters Week 3 on Monday with matches that will have an impact on the top four positions.

So far, Riyadi and Hurrieh are unbeaten while titleholders Orthodoxi, who went down to Hurrieh in the opening week, are third.

Riyadi beat Kufr Youba 89-61 and Nashama 106-36 to lead the table. They will next play Jalil.

Hurrieh have won closely contest matches. They upstaged Orthodoxi 61-58 in the opening match and beat Awdeh 74-70. They will next play Ghazzet Hashem who beat Nashama 53-45, but lost 50-38 to Jalil.

After their opening defeat, Orthodoxi jumped back to beat Kufr Youba 80-50 and will next play Awdeh, who are fourth after they beat Jalil 55-47.

Reigning champs Orthodoxi won their record 23rd title last year. They started off the season by winning the Jordan Cup, beating closest rivals Riyadi in the final minutes of the match.

Last season, Applied Science University (ASU) beat Ittihad Schools for the Jordan Cup title after they ousted Riyadi and Orthodoxi in the semis. ASU and Ittihad have pulled out of competitions over differences with the Jordan Basketball Federation and players have been dispersed over the rest of clubs.

Apart from Orthodoxi and Riyadi, the basketball league no longer has most veteran clubs competing. New clubs with no fan base have sprung up, leading to a decline in the game locally as well as in the competitive advantage on the regional scene.

STANDINGS