Yellow Castle undefeated in repeat

ZOUK MIKAEL (Lebanon) – Winning gold once is already a tough task, yet Al Riyadi have done it twice in a row now.

The Yellow Castle on Sunday night completed their back-to-back bid in the FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) following a 104-77 mauling of Tabiat in the Final for a rousing conclusion to a campaign so dominant.

Already the reigning three-time WASL-West Asia League titlists, the Lebanese powerhouse refused to stop there and went on to secure the pan-regional competition’s ultimate prize for the second successive time.

No other team in this league had been able to accomplish what they’ve done and the crew made it look so easy as Riyadi did it undefeated as well with a 13-0 record, including a five-game sweep of the Final 8 2025.

Without a doubt, this team does not have complacency in their vocabulary, making sure to get the job done even though they have already assured themselves a spot in the Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia).

It can wait, perhaps their mentality was, and that boded so well for them as they were able to author history that will only add more to their lore as one of the continent’s most respected organizations.

“This is a great achievement for Lebanese basketball,” expressed head coach Ahmad Farran. “Back-to-back champions. We are proud. And we are still hungry. We’re looking forward to achieving more.”

As usual, Wael Arakji led the way in the victory with 28 points and 6 assists, scoring 12 of his output in the opening frame alone to help his side overcome a tepid start and seize control for good.

Riyadi was staring at a one-point deficit but the lefty guard swished in one of his six triples for the go-ahead bucket, and that ignited what would be a 15-0 run toward a 26-12 lead at the end of the period.

His solid start seemingly rubbed off on his teammates, with Amir Saoud and Thon Maker taking turns in leading their second-quarter surge that saw the squad inflate the lead to 53-32 with 1:25 left before the break.

There was hardly any let-up from then on, and the game would become a one-sided show in their favor – much of course to the joy of their faithful that trooped to the venue to witness a coronation at home.

Most Lebanese fans weren’t there when Al Riyadi bagged the WASL championship last year as the Final 8 was held in Doha, Qatar, thus their delight to finally be in attendance and celebrate with their team.

“I’m very happy that we were able to win this tournament in Lebanon,” offered Arakji, who went on to win league MVP honors. “Lebanese fans deserve this. I want to thank them for coming and supporting us unconditionally.”

“This win is for them, this tournament is for them, and they deserve more. Hopefully we can give them more.”

Marcus Georges-Hunt was also crucial in the win with 24 points and 5 rebounds as his chase for the WASL championship finally came to an end after falling short with Kuwait Club in the last two seasons.

Last year’s MVP Thon Maker finished with 20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks while Saoud supplied 13 points and 6 assists off the bench as the usual providers starred in the masterful conquest.

Tabiat, on the other hand, was led by center Ivan Buva with 15 points and 5 rebounds as they could only for a runner-up finish – nonetheless the highest finish for an Iranian team by far in WASL.

Sina Vahedi made 14 points. Amir Gholizadeh scored 12, while Perry Petty and Arman Zangeneh added 11 each.

Al Riyadi and Tabiat will now turn their attention to the BCL Asia 2025 in June 9-15 as the WASL representatives, with the former coming in looking for a repeat in the highest club competition in the continent.

FIBA