DUBAI (United Arab Emirates) - Eleven players are all compelled to contribute the best they can as Al Riyadi will have to defend their Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia) crown without Amir Saoud.
The Yellow Castle won't have 'The Prince' in their quest for a back-to-back as he suffered a rib fracture mere days before the team's trip to the Emirati city for the June 7-13 contest. He will be out for three weeks.
"We lost Amir two days before our trip and it was a big, big blow for us losing a big player in our squad," lamented head coach Ahmad Farran. "He's a big creator on this team and a big scorer. I hope the guys will fill his place."
Saoud got hurt during Al Riyadi's eventual 110-84 win over Homenetmen in the 2025 Lebanese Basketball Championship last June 3, marking yet another injury after sustaining a calf issue earlier in the season.
That was the reason why he played late in the First Round of the 2025 FIBA WASL-West Asia League but he would go on to reprise his role as one of Al Riyadi's top guards, helping them secure the three-peat.
"It's gonna be challenging, it's gonna be tough. But this team is made for this. We are hopeful and confident that we can go far in this tournament."
Crucial as well would be Saoud in the WASL Final 8 weeks after, posting per-game averages of 8.6 points and 6.2 assists as well as 1.4 steals as they swept the competition toward a successful title defense.
Then came the unfortunate rib injury - one so delicate that the doctors advised him to no longer join the team in Dubai so as to not aggravate as much further, according to the champion bench tactician.
"It's a tough injury. It's a broken rib. And it will take three weeks, and the doctors advised him to stay in Lebanon and not travel with the team 'cause it's going to be dangerous for his health," Farran said.
But it's not just Saoud which Al Riyadi would miss in the BCL Asia 2025. Croatian big man Marin Maric is also out of the tournament because to an ankle injury, which he got the game before Saoud went down.
"Marin Maric against Beirut, we lost him because of his ankle and he needs like two weeks. And the game after, the game against Homenetmen we lost Amir," Farran said. "So we lost two players before a big championship."
Maric was one of their best players during the Final 8 with norms of 12.0 points and 7.6 rebounds, as he mainly manned the paint for a team that's already a mismatch size-wise with Thon Maker around.
As tough as it was to see him get hurt, Farran is at the same time glad that they no longer needed to search around for a replacement. Elmedin Kikanovic was available, and so it was a no-brainer to sign him back.
Fresh off a stint with Al Arabi SC in Qatar, it would be a homecoming of sorts for the veteran Bosnian center, who helped a great deal in Al Riyadi's WASL and BCL Asia success in the past two seasons.
"Thank God we managed to secure the signing of Kika. He was very excited to come back," beamed Farran. "And we did it in 24 hours. He played one game with us, and his first appearance was like he never left."
"We are happy and glad. This is one of the guys who contributed big time for our successful season last season," continued the 44-year-old mentor. "We are hopeful and ready to achieve more."
That's why even though they're a star short, Farran & Co. still afford to stay optimistic of their chances in the tournament; it's just that they all have to double their efforts to compensate for one huge absence.
Because they're under no illusion whatsoever that it's going to be a walk in the park toward repeating, as Al Riyadi are well aware of the kind of competition this year's BCL Asia offers.
"It's gonna be challenging, it's gonna be tough," Farran acknowledged. "But this team is made for this. We are hopeful and confident that we can go far in this tournament."
FIBA