As the new basketball map is clear now with the announcment of the new Jordanian Basketball Federation's elections on the 3rd of October, Premier League top teams began preperations for the upcoming season 2009-2010.
Many questions are on the head of each basketball spectator this year...Who will coach Zain?...Will there be imports in the league this year?...Where will we see Wesam Al Sous and Jamal Abu-Shamala?....What Orthodox and Al Riyadi Amman will do?....etc....
- Zain:
Last season's champions Zain will begin trainings next week with local players including the new-old face in the team Ayman Idais (208-C-78) and Mohammad Hadrab (201-F-84), Mousa Alawadi (192-G/F-85), Zaid Al-Khas (206-C-76, college: Gannon), Moussa Basheer (208-C-78), Fadel Anajjar (192-G-85) and Khaldon Abo Rukayeah (198-F-83), While Osama Daghles (199-G-79, college: Midwestern St.), Rasheim Wright (194-G-81, college: District of Col.), Francis Ireifej (185-G-82, college: Point Loma), Jamal Almaaytah (213-C-81, college: Greensboro) and Enver Soobzokov (198-G/F-78, college: Cal.St.-San Bernar.) will join the team coming from the United States maximum at the begining of next month.
The assistant coaches Robert Taylor and Ruslan Soobzokov will take the responsibility of the team until the management agree with a forgein head coach as soon as possible, Its still unknown wether The National Team's head coach Mario Palma will remain in Zain or not.
On a related issue, The american forward Nate Johnson (199-F-77, college: Louisville) will be most probably back to Zain as he reached an agreement with the team management to reinforce the current roster, Johnson played for Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut of Lebanon last season leading them to Lebanese league and Cup titles adding to Dubai Tournament, Hariri and Arab Clubs Championship trophies.
- ASU Sports Club:
The Serbian head coach Georgi Petrovic began preperations with his new team ASU Sports Club two weeks ago with the attendance of his new assistant coach Faisal Nsour and Yousef Abu Baker plus the players: Islam Abbaas (201-C-80), Zaid Abbaas (203-F-83), Fadi Al Saqa (179-G-77), Abdalla Abu Koura (202-C-84), Nidal Shareef (190-G-82), Eyad Abdeen (202-F-79), Louai Najjar (192-G/F-80), Ahmed Hamarsheh (202-C-86) and Ghazi Naber (178-G-76).
According to local media, The team will take part in Hariri Tournament in Beirut, Lebanon next month adding to a camp in Syria to have a full preperation for the upcoming season, The team management are taking a look at some profiles of some professional players to choose two from them to add strength in the squad.
ASU's management are also looking to finalize some deals with local players such as Canadian based player Nick Fadayel (191-F), Al Riyadi Amman's point guard Wesam Al-Sous (183-G-83) and The newly NCAA graduated player Jamal Abu-Shamala (196-G/F-87) who also had some talks with Zain for the same purpose.
- Orthodox:
Orthodox will appear in a new face this year under the commands of the new serbian coach Nenad Hrvoic , More young players will take role this year with the big come back of Mahmoud Abdeen (186-G-87) who was forced to be absent last season due to injury.
Naser Bassam (198-G/F-76), Ali Dajani (183-G-81) and Adel Azzazi (183-G-79) are the only old faces to help their younger teammates such as Abdeen, Ibrahim Bassam (204-C-87) and maybe Louay Obeidi (198-F/G-90) who is supposed to rejoin back the team.
- Al Riyadi Amman:
Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut will look for a new era following the retirment of Hussam Lutfi (198-F/C-73) and the possible leave of Wesam Al-Sous, The local coach Sameer Morcos will find the youth spirit among the squad as he will depend on the services of Malek Khashan (185-G-85), Faisal Kheir (204-C-85), Suni Sakakeeeni (204-C-88), Issa Kamel (192-F-83) and their teammates to showup with a good performance this year.
The same decision of not having imports with depending on the local players may remain the same this year in case they didnt find the sponsor who can afford the enough budget for the team.