BEIRUT (Lebanon) - The responsibility of carrying the Bahraini flag will rest on Muharraq Club as they will be the country's lone representative to the fast-approaching 2025-26 FIBA WASL-Gulf League competitions.
But it definitely won't just be about playing for pride, as the Red Wolves are motivated to atone for the heartbreaking end to their maiden campaign in the pan-regional meet a couple of seasons ago.
FIBA WASL history
Muharraq saw action in WASL for the first time during the 2023-24 season, and they were actually one win away from advancing to the culminating Final 8 in Doha, Qatar - only for their bid to get foiled.
The team suffered a 93-83 defeat at the hands of Kazma in the Gulf League Third-Place Game, a loss that stung so much as it could've been an opportunity to make up for what was a roller-coaster ride for them.
From bowing to Kuwait Club in their debut, Muharraq flipped the script and emerged as a favorite when they went on to beat Al Ahli Jeddah and Al Rayyan before getting back at Kuwait to build a three-game winning streak.
But drastic changes - from letting go of then-coach Ahmed Jan and switching reinforcements - affected the team as whole, resulting in back-to-back losses to end the Group Phase with an even 3-3 win-loss record.
Still, it was good enough to reach the Qualification to Semi-Finals, in which they overcame Shabab Al Ahli and completed a reverse sweep only to get swept by inaugural WASL champs Manama in the last four.
Then came that crushing end to their run after bowing to Kazma.
Qualifying path
It took them a while to plot their redemption arc but it's better late than never, as they say, and Muharraq finally booked a ticket back to WASL by conquering the 2024-25 Bahraini Premier League.
They did so by beating Al Ahli, a former WASL campaigner as well, in the best-of-5 Final that went the distance, which also gave the organization its first championship since 2019 and its fourth league title overall.
Players to watch
Their recent success domestically also enabled Bader Malabes to make history as he became the first player in all of Muharraq to win both the league title and the Khalifa Bin Salman Cup twice in his career.
Well, he's been one of their best players for years now and he'd surely be trying to deliver the goods one more in their return, especially after a solid Season 2 run where he posted 18.2 points - including two 30-point games.
But of course, he'd be surrounded by what should be a solid cast, which includes the likes of Mohammed Ameer and Ali Rashed, plus seasoned reinforcements Nick West and former G-League guard Kerwin Roach.
Muharraq are situated in Group A together with reigning Gulf League champions Shabab Al Ahli, Ittihad Club, and another familiar foe in Kazma. To know more about their 2025-26 FIBA WASL campaign, click here.
FIBA