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La Sagesse beat Kuwait SC in a thrilling final match in Lusail (Qatar) on Friday in the semi-finals of the Wasl Super League. The Greens will meet in the final on Saturday their eternal rivals Riyadi, who beat Gorgan earlier in the afternoon.
The Lebanese continue to establish themselves as one of Asia’s leading basketball nations, and the explosive line-up for Saturday’s 100% Lebanese Wasl Super League final is sure to prove the point. On Friday, the two giants of Lebanese basketball confirmed all the good things we thought of them by winning their respective semi-final matches to reach the final.
Riyadi Impresses
For the fourth time this season, Riyadi and Iran’s Gorgan met at an advanced stage of the competition. Anxious to bounce back after being thrashed twice by Riyadi, Gorgan kicked off hostilities at 100 km/h to take a 4-0 lead. But it took much more than that to unsettle Ahmad Farran’s men, who fielded a classic starting five of Gyokchyan, Maker, Simmons, Zeinoun, and Arakji.
The latter quickly took control and went on a 13-0 run, initiated by a spectacular block from Thon Maker. The first quarter was entirely in Manara’s favor (32-19).
In the second quarter, the Yellows continued their show of strength, inexorably increasing their lead. A festival of point shots enabled Riyadi to cross the halfway line with a substantial advantage (61-37).
After the break, the Iranians had regained their composure, and the Lebanese team’s rhythm slowed a little. Gorgan reduced the gap slightly, but it was far from enough. In the fourth and final quarter, Riyadi regained their concentration. Well led by Ali Mansour, who was in a state of grace on Friday, the Yellows managed the end of the game with great skill (97-78) to qualify for the final.
La Sagesse Forces Its Destiny
La Sagesse crushed Kuwait Club’s hopes 76-72 to reach the FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) 2024 final on Friday evening.
Much attention was focused on the defending champions of the “Gulf League” to see if they could return to the grand final to rewrite their history after last season’s disappointment against Manama, but it was the Lebanese team that prevailed in the race for the title.
Nick Rakocevic and Jonathan Gibson took turns leading the charge against the Kuwaitis. Despite a slow start from both teams, the game was pleasant and the score close (21-15 at the 10th). The pace quickened in the 15th minute when Kuwait SC equalized. The score then swung back and forth, and the first half ended 38-35 for Kuwait SC after a buzzer-beater by Young.
The last two quarters were very intense. Neither team wanted to concede. In this intense duel, La Sagesse found the physical resources to beat their opponents (76-72) in a thrilling finish. The victory allowed the Greens to join Riyadi in the final.
This double qualification for the Wasl Super League final once again confirms the supremacy of Lebanese basketball in West Asia. Sagesse and Riyadi, eternal rivals, will meet again on Saturday for a duel that promises to be intense and spectacular, illustrating the richness and competitiveness of Lebanese basketball. This 100% Lebanese final proves the greatness of Lebanese basketball.
Thanks to this sport, Lebanon is at least establishing itself as a great nation… in basketball.
