Central Edge Beirut, 81-79
In a nail-biting D1M contest at Chiyah Arena , Central escaped with a 81-79 victory over Beirut on Saturday, November 1. Elios Saad led the charge for Central with a game-high 17 points. The lead changed hands 10 times before Central eventually pulled away for good.
Central took a 51-44 lead into halftime. The third quarter was the decisive stretch, with Beirut outscoring their opponents 15-6 to swing the momentum in their favor.
The game featured several highlight plays. K. Wooten (Central) threw down a powerful dunk in the third quarter, one of 3 dunks in the game. J. El Khatib (Central) connected from beyond the arc in the first quarter during a crucial stretch. T. Mitchel was a force on the defensive end with 8 blocks.
Elios Saad was the undeniable star of the game, finishing with 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists in 19 minutes of action. He shot 6-of-8 (75%) from the field, 5-of-5 (100%) from the free-throw line. Anyeuri Castillo provided valuable support with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals. Kenny Wooten also chipped in with 14 points off the starting lineup.
Central's bench was a major factor, contributing 19 points off the pine. Elios Saad was the standout reserve, providing 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists in a spark-plug role. Central also generated 11 second-chance points and 11 fast-break points, capitalizing on every opportunity.
Central held a significant edge in field goal shooting at 40% compared to Beirut's 52%.
Beirut committed 17 turnovers compared to Central's 9.
Down the stretch, Central came up clutch when it mattered most. K. Wooten nailed a key basket with 00:13 remaining to help seal the victory. It was a white-knuckle finish that had both benches on their feet until the final buzzer.
Despite the result, Elijah Richard Thomas showed his quality for Beirut, contributing 21 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks. Jimmy Nakhle added 13 points, 7 rebounds, but their combined efforts were not enough to turn the tide.