ZOUK MIKAEL (Lebanon) - Winning it all once is already a tall 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're already assured of a spot in the Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia).
It can wait, perhaps their mentality was, and that surely boded so well for them as they were able to author history that will only add to their lore as one of the continent's most respected organizations.
As usual, Wael Arakji led the way in this victory of epic proportions 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 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 of 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 53-32with 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.
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.
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 triumph.
*This article will be updated.
