One of the most historic clubs in Lebanese basketball has officially been relegated to Division 2.
Champville Maristes saw its stay in the top flight come to an end after losing its playout series against Tadamon Hrajel, bringing a painful conclusion to one of the most difficult seasons in the club’s history.
For decades, Champville stood among the pillars of Lebanese basketball and remains one of the few clubs outside the traditional powerhouses to have captured a Lebanese Championship, lifting the title in 2012 and establishing itself as a respected force within the domestic game.
However, the 2025-26 season quickly unraveled both on and off the court.
The turning point came following the departure of businessman Elie Massoud, whose investment had transformed the club into a Final Four contender. Under his leadership, Champville assembled a competitive roster and invested in renovating the club’s home court, raising expectations for a return to the league’s elite.
But disagreements between Massoud, the club’s management, and the school ultimately led to his exit, leaving the organization facing uncertainty at a crucial moment.
The consequences were severe.
Several players reportedly went months without receiving their salaries, creating a financial crisis that eventually led key members of the roster to leave the club and pursue their cases through the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal (BAT).
Among the players who departed were Jimmy Salem, Jean Marc Jarrouje, Mark Abi Kheirs, Ali Mahmoud, and others, leaving the team severely weakened during the most important stretch of the season.
The resulting sanctions also prevented Champville from registering three foreign players ahead of the playout battle, a significant disadvantage against a Tadamon Hrajel side fighting for survival.
Despite the adversity, the season was not without positives.
A new generation of young players emerged and showed remarkable determination throughout the campaign. Talents such as Hadi El Khatib, Steve Assaf, and several others continued to compete until the final moments of the season, earning praise for their commitment despite the difficult circumstances surrounding the club.
Ultimately, however, the challenges proved too great to overcome.
Short-handed, financially troubled, and unable to reinforce its roster, Champville was unable to match Tadamon Hrajel in the decisive playout series, resulting in relegation to Division 2.
For many Lebanese basketball fans, the fall of Champville represents more than just a relegation. It marks the end of an era for one of the country’s most respected basketball institutions.
The question now becomes whether the club can regroup, stabilize its situation off the court, and begin the long road back to Lebanon’s top division.
For a club with such a rich history, supporters will hope that this chapter is not the end of the story—but rather the beginning of a rebuilding process that eventually returns Champville to where many believe it belongs.