'Missing piece' Duop Reath proves worth with outstanding Al Riyadi debut

BEIRUT (Lebanon) - First-game struggles were not a problem at all as Duop Reath turned in an outstanding debut for Al Riyadi, Wednesday night.

"He's the missing piece in Riyadi's lineup so I'm very happy to have him."

- Ahmad El Farran, Al Riyadi head coach

The 26-year-old has only been with his new team for days but fit in like a glove right away, dropping 24 points to help the club stamp its class against Beirut Club, 104-77, to take Game 1 of their WASL-West Asia Semi-Finals series.

He shot 50-percent from the field that included a 3-of-6 clip from deep, and also had 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in just 21 minutes as a starter.

"Just playing with instincts," said Reath during the postgame press conference at the Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex. "We just play hard here. Everybody just plays with their instincts. We just trusted our basketball abilities."

It was his first-ever game in an Al Riyadi uniform and WASL proved to be a window that offered a glimpse of how impactful he can be for a side out not just to reclaim glory on local soil but to establish dominance in the region as well.

"It was fun, especially playing with this team here," he said of his maiden voyage. "Everybody gets along with each other, it's like a family environment here. I felt very welcome on my first day here. It was really fun."

Reath wasted no time proving his worth, pouring 9 points in the first quarter alone to help steer his side in zooming to a 25-10 advantage.

By the half, he already had 16 to his name, teaming up with Kevin Murphy to lead the visitors in building a 61-36 lead to take the lead for good.

Reath, though, didn't take all the spotlight to himself, tipping his hat to the way the rest of the crew delivered in a game as important as Wednesday's.

"We played good team basketball. We shared the ball really well, we took care of the ball, and I think the energy was really high, so everybody was really focused knowing that it's a big game, and we need a good start," he said.

"Credit goes to the guys for just playing as a team, you know. I was having fun out there tonight. I enjoyed it," he furthered.

Still, there was no denying the impact he brought, which left Al Riyadi head coach Ahmad El Farran gushing over their latest pickup.

The veteran mentor felt lucky to have signed a talent like Reath given his credentials - the 2.11 M (6'11) big man, for starters, was a member of the Australia team that took the bronze medal in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

"It was hard signing for us, especially to recruit a player like Duop, [who has played] at the highest stage in the Summer Olympics," said Farran. "So, we were very lucky. I'm very happy with him being with us."

Reaths's arrival has indeed made Al Riyadi tougher to cover given that it already has the likes of Murphy, Wael Arakji, Amir Saoud, and Hayk Gyokchyan, to name some, but Farran is just glad to have them at his disposal.

"He's the missing piece in Riyadi's lineup so I'm very happy to have him," he said of Reath, a product of Louisiana State University.

"It's not easy to manage all these players 'cause they're [among] the best in the Lebanese league and in the region, especially [since] we have a lot of them in the national team of Lebanon. So I'm very lucky, I'm very proud," he added.

With his debut now in the books, Reath is looking for more, most especially in playing his first WASL home game next week for Game 2 of the semis.

Not only is he keen on helping Al Riyadi finish the series to reach the West Asia Final but the five-year pro is also excited to play in front of the home crowd.,

"I've been hearing a lot about the fans. I'm excited to play in front of the fans," he said. "So, yea, I'm just excited to go out and play in front of them."

FIBA