ZOUK MIKAEL (Lebanon) - Al Riyadi came from behind to beat Ittihad Club, 87-76, on Wednesday night at the Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex to head into the FIBA WASL Final 8 2026 Semi-Finals unbeaten.
The Yellow Castle began to swing the momentum in their favor late in the third before turning the game around completely in the deciding chapter en route to completing the comeback after falling into a slow start.
Donovan Williams sparked the fourth-quarter attack, then came Nick West, Karim Zeinoun, and Hayk Gyokchyan as the troika helped put together the decisive 14-2 run toward the 81-70 lead with 4:15 remaining.
The game would never be in doubt since, as the reigning 2-time champions cruised to the victory that allowed the Lebanese powerhouse to finish Group A with a perfect 3-0 record coming into the knockout stages.
"We started slow into the game; it's hard to motivate our players with such a game because we already knew that we're in first place in the group," admitted lead assistant coach Ahmad Yamout.
"It took us time but at halftime, the players picked themselves up mentally," he furthered. "And in the third quarter, I believe, was where we made the difference. And we ended the game with a win."
Williams led Riyadi with 33 points. Ali Mansour flirted with a triple-double as the versatile guard finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists, which he laced with 4 of the team's 8 steals and 1 block.
West made 14 points and 5 rebounds, while Gyokchyan supplied 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists as the quartet showed the way on a night they missed Zach Lofton once more, as well as veteran playmaker Amir Saoud.
"It was also the 'next man up' mentality.' We were missing two key players on our team. Everyone else stepped up, tried to do our best, and the most important thing is we got away with the win," Gyokchyan said.
"And, we keep the streak going," he added.
Wayne Chism finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead Ittihad, who bowed out of the tournament with a 0-3 record. Amorie Archibald provided 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, plus a pair of steals.
Marvin Clark contributed 13 points and 7 rebounds, while veteran guard Mathna Almarwani chipped in 10 for the Saudi Arabian side, who actually led by as many as 16 during the second but couldn't hold on to it.
FIBA