Ismail Ahmad returns to Riyadi from Homenetmen.

Summary: Ismail Ahmad has returned to Riyadi after spending a season with Homenetmen, where he won the Arab Club Championship and the Lebanese Basketball League.

BEIRUT: Ismail Ahmad has returned to Riyadi after spending a season with Homenetmen, where he won the Arab Club Championship and the Lebanese Basketball League.

"My aim after signing [with Riyadi] is to help the team win the tournaments that we will participate in this season," Ahmad said.

The 41-year-old played with Riyadi for 14 seasons before making a surprise move to Homenetmen last year.

His acquisition turned out to be an inspired one by the Armenian-Lebanese club, which became the third local side to win the prestigious Arab Club Championship.

Ahmad was also a key member of the roster that ended Riyadi's four-year league monopoly, helping Homenetmen to a dramatic 4-3 series win in the finals.

"We now have a team capable of competing for the title," Riyadi head coach Ahmad Farran said.

"The return of Ahmad will give us a major boost as we look ahead to many challenges, like the league and the defense of our Asian Cup title."

Ahmad's arrival marks a busy summer for Riyadi after the arrival of Bassel Bawji and Hayk Gyokchyan from Beirut Club and Homenetmen respectively. Riyadi also added two new foreign players: Chris Obekpa and Mike Lyons.

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