TEHRAN (Iran) - Hayk Gyokchyan feels no pressure whatsoever ahead of Al Riyadi's winner-take-all encounter against Shahrdary Gorgan in the FIBA WASL-West Asia Final.

 The grizzled forward is actually embracing the challenges that await him and the defending sub-zone league champions in their most important game of the season to date, set on their home floor at the Stade Nouhad Nawfal in Zouk Mikael on Wednesday night.

"Those are the games that we play for," Gyokchyan confidently offered. "We love playing those kinds of games with that much pressure. It's do-or-die for us."

Al Riyadi found themselves having to play in a Game 3 after falling short of sweeping their rivals as they lost Game 2 by way of a 95-85 result last May 1 at the Azadi Basketball Hall.

It sure isn't an ideal situation for the repeat-seeking squad of Coach Ahmad Farran but none of them are ducking any smoke, for history is on their side.

While it may be the first time in FIBA WASL that both of its sub-zone Finals went the distance, the Lebanese powerhouse is no stranger to playing in a Game 3.

Back in Season 1, the Yellow Castle got dragged by Freddy Ibrahim and Orthodox Amman of Jordan to a rubber match in their best-of-3 Qualification to Semi-Finals series.

Al Riyadi would go on to win Game 3 in convincing fashion, 95-72, behind Wael Arakji and Kevin Murphy in one of their first steps toward eventually winning the West Asia crown.

That triumph took place before a packed crowd at Zouk Mikael and for sure, the entire crew would want to replicate that as they try to secure a back-to-back.

"There'll be a huge crowd, and in front of our fans and in our country, so we're looking forward to it," said Gyokchyan, who's been averaging 9.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

"That's basketball. That's why we play. Those are the best games to play," the 34-year-old veteran internationalist continued, "and we just need to show up and step up."

FIBA