BEIRUT: The Lebanese female national team outclassed their West Asian rivals Jordan 69-40 on the opening day of the women’s basketball competition at the Pan Arab Games Wednesday.

The Pan Arab Games are hosted by Doha until Dec. 23, and Lebanon’s women sent out a clear message in their first appearance for their aspirations to win the gold medal.

Lebanon, coached by former men’s national team player Vicken Eskejian, ran their offensive attack quickly, led by naturalized American player Martina Wood, who dominated noticeably under the basket to put the Lebanese in an early lead of 15-6.

Team captain Nisrine Dandan – one of the few experienced players left with the absence of Lebanon’s elite basketballers such as Chada Nasr, Nayla Alameddine and Chirine al-Sherif – was a significant presence from behind the 3-point line, where she scored six out of her eight total points in the first quarter to give The Cedars an 11-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 22-11.

The Jordanian team failed to break the Lebanese defense, scoring only three points in the second quarter, giving Lebanon the chance to finish the game off early, leading 40-14 going into the third quarter.

The Lebanese slowed their pace in the third and fourth quarters, resting key players and giving a chance to their bench players, who hustled well and kept the deficit almost the same to finish by 29 points, 69-40. Wood led Lebanon with 22 points and 22 rebounds and 7 assists; Nathalie Mamo added 14 points and Tamara Khalil 10.