BEIRUT (Lebanon) - When you talk about the best backcourt duos in West Asia, it doesn’t take long before Freddy Ibrahim and Amin Abu Hawwas enter the conversation. Actually, they are the conversation.
Whether it’s in the black and gold of the national team or now with Amman United in the FIBA WASL, these two have been side by side, running the show and causing problems for anyone in front of them.
I'm just looking forward to putting Jordan on the map and letting these other countries know that we're here so not only play but win.
National Team Synergy
Since the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019, Ibrahim and Abu Hawwas have been practically inseparable on the court.
Ibrahim has suited up for 39 FIBA games in that stretch, missing Abu Hawwas in just three of them. For Abu Hawwas, it’s 37 games with only a single one played without his longtime backcourt partner. That kind of chemistry doesn’t come around often - and it’s exactly what makes them such a problem for opponents.
One’s the floor general, one’s the bucket-getter. And together? They might just be one of the best one-two backcourt punches in the region.
Transition to Amman United
Building on their national team success, the duo has seamlessly integrated into Amman United's roster for the 2024/2025 FIBA WASL-West Asia League season. Their prior experience, especially Ibrahim's participation in the inaugural WASL with Orthodox Amman, brings valuable insight to the team.
Ibrahim expressed his determination for the upcoming season, stating, "Very determined. I mean, that time was my first time - actually it was the first time WASL even existed. And now I have some experience and we've got more national team players with us and just more experience as a whole as a team and we've been prepared, preparing for a while now."
Abu Hawwas echoed this sentiment, highlighting the team's potential: "I expect us to further advance than the previous Jordanian team and really make a lot of noise. To be honest, I like our team a lot and I think we're primed and prepped to make some noise."
Impressive Debut Performance
In their WASL debut against Al Difaa Al Jawi SC, Amman United emerged victorious with a 96-87 scoreline. Ibrahim delivered a stellar performance, recording 14 points and 7 assists, while Abu Hawwas led the scoring with 28 points anon 10-15 shooting from the field.
Their on-court chemistry was evident, with Ibrahim dishing out three of his seven assists to Abu Hawwas, and Abu Hawwas returning the favor once.
Reflecting on the game, Abu Hawwas commented, "It's just step one of the journey, happy to get the win. We started good, we kind of lost focus but we finished strong and got the win."
Anticipated Clash with Al Riyadi
Ibrahim and Abu Hawwas are laser-focused on winning it all, which means they aren't too entirely focused about which specific opponents are on the other side of the court.
I just want to win whoever we're playing against, that's all
"I just want to win whoever we're playing against, that's all," said Ibrahim.
Added Abu Hawwas: "I'm just looking forward to putting Jordan on the map and letting these other countries know that we're here so not only play but win."
However, the next game up against Al Riyadi is a highly anticipated one and hard to push aside. That's not only because Al Riyadi are the reigning BCL Asia and WASL champions but also due to the marquee matchup between Ibrahim and Lebanon's Wael Arakji - two of the best guards in the Asia.
Ibrahim acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, "Every game is good against Riyadi, I've played them three times in WASL in the second stage. It was good.
"It's always going to be fun, they have good fans. They have good players. It's going to be a fight for sure."
Knowing what this duo is capable of, it's going to be a good fight for sure.
FIBA