KUWAIT CITY (Kuwait) - Shabab Al Ahli and Kuwait Club aren't running short of motivation entering their respective games as the 2025-26 FIBA WASL-Gulf League competitions resume this week in the Kuwaiti capital.
The reigning Sub-Zone League titlists will fly in to face Kazma on Monday while their fellow pioneers will host Sharjah SC the next night - both of which will be held at the Shaikh Saad Alabdullah Sport Hall Complex.
Shabab Al Ahli will look to make two in a row in Group A following an 89-87 escape versus Muharraq last November 3, which put their title defense in order after a rough start to the season with a loss to Ittihad Club.
Breaking through the win column should be enough reason for the crew to smile but head coach Miodrag Perisix was far from pleased, particularly with how his wards finished the game against their Bahraini counterparts.
The UAE powerhouse almost squandered an 87-77 lead entering the last three minutes but the breaks went in their favor, and they definitely do not want to see that happen again especially against a team like Kazma.
Like them, the Kuwaiti Division 1 League outfit is coming in hungry to bounce back after their bid of starting the tourney 2-0 got foiled by Ittihad by way of a 92-81 result last October 27 in the very same venue.
But it was by no means an easy one for the Saudi Arabia crew. Kazma. depleted and all, came back from a 54-43 deficit and knocked to within 81-79 late in the game but couldn't gather enough steam to finish the comeback.
Still, that should be enough reason for Deshawndre Washington and his unit to be wary of, and their upcoming match should be interesting to see whether or not they've learned from their mistakes the last time out.
On the other hand, Kuwait Club will have an opportunity to shake up the Group B standings should they take care of business against the defending UAE League Basketball champions on Tuesday night.
As it stands, the former two-time WASL-Gulf League winners are toting a 1-1 record and improving to 2-1 should push them atop the pool and overtake Al Ula Club (2-1) as they have the edge against the latter.
It could be recalled that Kuwait Club got their first win of the season against the Saudi side last October 28, a 113-108 decision at home in which Moh Hasan & Co. wasted the 64 points of Wael Arakji and Jonathan Gibson.
That should give a huge boost morale-wise given that they beat a star-studded team filled with some of WASL's biggest names but Kuwait Club know, too, that they can't be complacent against Sharjah one bit.
Sharjah are entering the clash in high spirits as well, having earned their first-ever win in the league after weathering Al Arabi SC, 91-89, last November 4 behind DeMarco Dickerson and Glenn Robinson III.
These games will usher in the WASL week ahead before the pan-regional meet takes a pause for the much awaited FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers scheduled on November 27-December 1.
FIBA