JEDDAH: Five teams, 11 games, three weekends.

That’s just about the package that awaits the Jeddah basketball fans in the groundbreaking Intercultural Basketball Tournament, which starts Friday at the Al-Kaki basketball court (Orca) on Tahlia street.

A project of SAGE (Saudi Alumni Grant Enterprise) under the auspices of United States Consulate Jeddah, the compact tournament brings together select players representing five countries that will vie for basketball supremacy in a spirit of fun and camaraderie among men of different cultural backgrounds.

Event Manager and SAGE member Mohammed Shobain said men’s basketball event was chosen for this year as part of the SAGE’s service to the community.

Helping Shobain run the tournament is Commissioner Mohammad Khamis Musalam, a former Saudi national player and an old hand in the game of basketball. Mohamed Bayoumi is Shobain’s group consultant-adviser with the referees group of Jun Lansang, BOG (Basketball Officials Group), to handle the tournament officiating and committee table.

After the round robin among teams from Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon the two teams with the best record play for the championship in knockout game on May 14, a Saturday.

The first weekend opening games are: Friday, first game 7 p.m. Saudi Arabia vs. Syriana second game 9 p.m. Lebanon vs. Egypt; Saturday first game 7 p.m. Philippines vs. Saudi Arabia second game 9 p. m. Syriana vs. Lebanon

The rest of the schedule: May 6 first game 7 p.m. Egypt vs. Philippines second game 9 p.m. Lebanon vs. Saudi Arabia; May 7 first game 7 p.m. Syriana vs. Philippines second game 9 p.m. Egypt vs. Saudia Arabia; May 13 firs game 7 p. m. Lebanon vs. Philippines second game 9 p.m. Syriana vs. Egypt; May 14 – Championship game

The lineups:

Philippine team — Players Arold Magat, Ray Razon, Mursie Akad, Jay Liam, Ziyad Pascual, Christian Guimpatan, Tom Basa, Jay R Piedra, Joseph Ubalde, Jimboy Pascual, MarK Elamparo, Anthony Junsay, Reggie Valderama, John Rebolado, Rhino Berido; Manager-coach Francis Magat

Saudi Arabia team — Players Mohammed Shobain, Mohannad Amir, Louai Mukharish, Aseel Bajandoh, Hassan Fallatah, Khaled Maziadi, Salman Mohammed, Abdulrahman Almaghrabi, Safwan Almowalad, Adam Hawsawi, Mohammed Adam, Abdullah Alharbi; Head coach Abdulrahman Shahin,

Assistant coach Mokhtar Fallatah

Syriana team — Players Wabel, Kamel, Nassib Qabani, Michael, Rashad, Ayman, Mohammed Jussomah, Mazen, Majed, Karmo, Mohanned Lubbad, Rafi,

Wassim, Mousli; Head coach Mohammed Bunni

Egypt team — Players Mohammed Abdulghaffar, Mohammed Ismael, Amr Wahdan, Moataz Mizo, Hazem Saad, Waleed, Mohammed Fawzi, Fadi Tawil, Aiman Gad, Mohammed Abozaid, Ahmed Nabeel, Mohammed Abdulmajeed, Islam Sakr, Ahmed Salma, Sameer; Head coach Mohammed Abdulghaffar

Lebanon team — Players Ahmed Kheir, Malek Masry, Bashar Abdulhay, Shadi Faraj, Tarek Al-Eter, Abdullah Ramini, Mahmoud Zreik, Fadi Kheyami, Mustafa Fattal, Zakaria Albaba, Alaa Mousawi, Rayan Alharbi; Head coach: Hassan Zeinedein , Assistant coach Saed Tammam