Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut - 2005-2006 Season

2005-2006 Season

The team continued its success in the 2005-2006 season and broke yet another Lebanese championship record by stretching its winning streak to 44 wins without any loss in almost 2 years; 23 months to be exact, ever since the 2003-2004 season when Riyadi lost to Blue Stars on April 7, 2004. Riyadi's winning streak in the league ended on March 7, 2006 when the team lost to Sagesse for the first time after an 8-0 record against the archrivals in the past 2 years. In 2006, Al Riyadi preserved the Lebanese Championship title for the 2005/2006 season with minor changes in the roster highlighted by the assistance of the new import Calvin Warner who temporary replaced Captain Tony Madison in the semi-finals and finals. Al Riyadi swept off Sagesse in the final 3-0 with the first game ending with 23 pts difference, the second with 29 pts difference, and the 3rd with 22 pts difference.

Also in 2006, on April 22nd to be exact, the team and for the first time in its history won the Lebanese Cup after easily beating Sagesse (86-69) in the final which was held in the Sports City, to clinch the doublet of Lebanese Cups and strengthens its position as the strongest team on the Lebanese soil.

Finally, none of the Arab teams was strong enough to steal the Champion of the Arabs title from Riyadi in 2006 as they all collapsed one after another when they had to face the Yellow Giant in the Pan Arab Cup held in Morocco. With that achievement, Riyadi now has 2 Pan Arab Cups under its belt.

In November 2006, right before the 2006-2007 Lebanese League kicked off, the FLBB requested from the Champion of Lebanon, Al-Riyadi to participate in King Abdallah's Tournament in Jordan instead of the Lebanese National Team who at the time was not ready for such an intense competition. The FLBB thought that Riyadi players will preserve Lebanon's image and raise its name high among countries participating in the tournament including Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Kosovo, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt. Sure enough, the Lebanese heroes were up to the challenge and brought the cup back to Lebanon after beating the Egyptian National Team in the final game (70-68).