It was very gratifying indeed that religious and
very classy Tele Lumiere and "Sports Vision" network
have finally ventured into Women Basketball alongside
their firm and enthusiastic committment to Second
Division Men Basketball. <br><br>So today's Hekmeh
Antranik coverage was very welcome indeed by the
television station. There was also a very healthy fan
presence in the tribunes although they were on the side of
the television cameras while the facing tribunes
showing on our screens were all but empty!!!! The Final
Four is like this: 1- Hekmeh Mar Doumit 2-Antranik 3-
Homenetmen Bourj Hamoud 4- Sadaka <br><br>This women
coverage fills a gap greatly needed to be filled. Women
basketball had nearly collapsed in Lebanon these last 3
years after Ghobeiry stopped women program altogether,
then Homenetmen the perrenial women champions
voluntarily went to Second Division Women, Antranik
threathened to call quits but reconsidered after so much give
and take and came back (but almost reluctantly). The
given reason was the huge one-man show (or should I
have said one-woman show) put by Hekmeh acquiring all
Lebanese star women players burrying all feasable
competition amongst women.<br><br>There were lingering
problems with the women national teams program and the
very short-sighted reprimand for performance to the
exhausted coaches and star players and suspensions of so
many talents that followed. How could you build a high
morale team after all that!!!<br><br>Now at least there
is some action back and spirit is returning a little
bit reflected in Tele Lumiere covering women
basketball in the now-favorite Sunday afternoon
slot.<br><br>What next? Well I pray that Tele Lumiere will be
active also in covering other basketball scenes more
comprehensively too but, without hurting its excellent coverage
of Second Division Men, which is a beautiful thing
not to be messed with.<br><br>I will cover my
thoughts in an ensuing post immediately after this.