- 10:15
A few hours after the final defeat (93–101) against Kuwait Club in Dubai, La Sagesse reflects, analyzes, and looks ahead. The score shows a runner-up finish, but the performance confirms it’s on the right path: a team that came back from –16 to +4, an MVP award for Youssef Khayat, and a trajectory now pointing toward the Lebanese Championship, where the eternal powerhouse Riyadi awaits.
Sagesse knocked on the door of the title once again. And, once again, the lock held firm. Beaten 101-93 by Kuwait Club after a roller-coaster final at the Rashid bin Humaid hall, the Greens unwillingly extend the “runner-up curse.” But the underlying message tells another story: a team that’s getting tougher, that knows how to come back, and that is no longer far from turning its finals into victories.
The Match Film
Kuwait lit the fuse from the start, 34-25 then 31-24, driven by stunning outside accuracy and clinical efficiency from the line. With its back to the wall at halftime, Sagesse flipped the momentum in a huge third quarter (32-17): aggressiveness from the guards, precision from Ali Haidar in the post, sharp runs from Youssef Khayat. The shift even went to +4. Then came the turning point: two poorly managed possessions — a turnover on first intention, a rushed shot — and Kuwait punished from behind the arc before locking the money time (19-12). The numbers froze the gap: 19/40 from three and 20/23 on free throws for Kuwait, 14 offensive rebounds conceded by Sagesse, 18 turnovers that weighed heavily despite 26/33 on free throws and a decent 5/14 from distance.
On the players’ side, Paris Bass set the court on fire (27 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists), Anthony Carr controlled the tempo (22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists), Ali Haidar stabilized key possessions (18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists), and Youssef Khayat confirmed his growth (18 points, 3 rebounds), earning the tournament MVP trophy. On the other side, Jamal Jones (22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Hamad Adnan Hassan (21 points, 6 rebounds) carried the outside shooting, while Charlie Moore dominated the boards (19 points, 12 rebounds).
Beyond the Score
What this game mostly leaves behind is a clearer identity: an exterior axis Bass–Carr to open spaces, Haidar to punish inside, Khayat to finish strong on the wing. The flaws are identified — conceded offensive rebounds, management of hot possessions — and are thus fixable. Long-distance shooting will have to gain in volume and in quality of created shots, without betraying the defensive DNA. Coming back from –16 in a continental final is no small feat: the content serves as a springboard.
And Now, the Championship
The next test of truth is called the Lebanese Championship, with Riyadi as the constant benchmark. Winning “at home” will depend on closing the paint (tighter box-outs, quicker first help), increasing the volume of well-created three-point shots, and cleaner time-out executions in money time. Against Riyadi, every detail weighs as much as a trophy: it’s precisely there that the transformation from runner-up to champion will be played out.
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