BEIRUT (Lebanon) - Familiar matchups highlight what should be an exciting Semi-Finals ahead as the FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) Final 8 2025 heads into the homestretch this weekend at the Stade Nouhad Naufal.
The penultimate phase is set on Saturday beginning at 17:45 local time, with Al Riyadi taking on Shabab Al Ahli in a clash between teams that bannered the biggest stage of club competition in the continent last year.
It could be recalled that both sides served as the protagonists of the inaugural Basketball Champions League (BCL Asia) 2024 Final, with the Yellow Castle completing a 5-game sweep to take home the crown.
There should be no denying that the 122-96 beating they received stung Shabab Al Ahli so deep, as it took place right in their very own home floor - at the Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Sports Hall in Dubai, that is.
Al Riyadi lifting the trophy at the inaugural edition of BCL Asia
Now they find themselves competing in the home turf of Al Riyadi and definitely, it wouldn't get any more sweeter for the team to score payback than giving the reigning champions a dose of their own medicine.
But of course, they know at the same time that it's going to be easier said than done. The second seed of Group B will be facing the best squad of Group A that's coming into the Semi-Finals unbeaten, still.
Taking into account their 2025 WASL-West Asia League run, Al Riyadi are entering with much confidence as they're in the midst of an eight-game winning streak, having swept their games in the recent Group Phase.
It's going to be a tall order for Shabab Al Ahli, no doubt, but they, too, are coming in armed with optimism, especially after beating Tabiat on Thursday night, 93-87, to formalize their entry into the Semi-Finals.
Tabiat, despite the defeat, are still headed to the next round as the top team of Group B, meaning that they're bound for a collision course with 2-seed of the other group: another Lebanese royalty in Sagesse SC.
It's going to be their third meeting this season, having met twice during the 2025 WASL-West Asia League where they both secured podium finishes behind a Riyadi side that completed a rare 'three-peat.'
The 2024 Iran Basketball League champions finished as runners-up of the double round-robin Sub-Zone League with a 5-3 record, with two of their wins at the expense of, interestingly, the Green Castle.
It's worth noting, too, that both of those were only one-possession victories. Their first meeting saw Tabiat escape with the 88-87 result for a winning debut, then hacked out a 75-73 decision in Round 2 to lock second place.
Third time's the charm as they say and Sagesse are surely hoping that it would hold true for them, for their only shot of returning to the Final is having to go through a team that has their number.
If there's anyone aside from Riyadi who's raring to return to the Big Dance, it should be Sagesse, especially after collapsing and losing in overtime, 100-90, to their long-time rivals in last year's championship bout.
But never to be forgotten amidst all the intriguing storylines and possibilities that the upcoming Semi-Finals could bring is the fact that these four are also vying for spots to the prestigious BCL Asia in June.
The two qualified teams by the end of the Final 8 will represent WASL in the tilt, where they will join the champion teams of China, Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, in addition to two teams from the BCL Asia-East.
FIBA
