BEIRUT (Lebanon) - Fans are in for a treat ahead as the storied Beirut Derby headlines this week's FIBA WASL-West Asia League competitions in what should be another epic showdown between proud ball clubs.
Al Riyadi and Sagesse SC are set to cross paths this early on Wednesday night, marking the first time not only in the recently opened Sub-Zone League but in this 2025-26 season that they'd play against each other.
Game time is set at 20:45 local time at the Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex, with the defending champions looking to go 2-0 after opening their title defense bid with an 89-80 victory over Al Wahda SC last week.
It wasn't the most beautiful of triumphs as per their own standards given also how tough their Syrian foes' stand was, but Coach Ahmad Farran is taking any kind of win at this point as they're still trying to figure things out.
"At this part of the season, the beginning of the season, it's very important to us to think about winning more than performance until we catch our rhythm, until we find the chemistry," the champion mentor said.
Definitely, they want to continue their winning ways against the Green Castle in their first WASL meeting since the 2025 Final 8 Group Phase, in which Riyadi won convincingly, 101-71, to eventually clinch the back-to-back.
Both teams have met one another eight times in the pan-regional meet owned and operated by FIBA, and the reigning three-time WASL-West Asia League titlists clearly have the edge as they won seven of their bouts.
Needless to say, Sagesse would want to cut that deficit in their upcoming duel, and making them even hungrier was the rough start to their season after suffering a 97-92 defeat to Shahrdari Gorgan on Opening Night.
The Iran Basketball League champions are also seeing action this week, as they will be serving as the welcoming committee of sorts to BC Astana on Thursday night at the Azadi Basketball Hall in Tehran.
Tip-off is scheduled at 19:00 local time, with Gorgan hoping to build a streak when they face a team that's making their WASL-West Asia League debut after being slotted automatically in the Final 8 in the first three seasons.
In case you missed it, the squad out of Central Asia will now have to earn their spot to the culminating showpiece through the Sub-Zone League, ensuring as well heightened competition within the said stage.
And marking their first game under this new setup would be a duel against a side they'd already beaten - Astana down Gorgan, 87-81, in the Final 8 inaugurals' Group Phase in 2023 on their way to a bronze medal finish.
But it's going to be a different team they'll be facing, with the two-time WASL-West Asia League runners-up now being spearheaded by the likes of Mobin Sheiki and the Yazarloo Brothers along with Perry Petty.
To know more about the 2025-26 WASL-West Asia League standings, click here.
FIBA