ASTANA (Kazakhstan) – BC Astana scored the first nine points of the game, took a vice-grip on the proceedings at the end of the first canto and then cruised along for an 88-64 win over Syria’s Al Wahda in the 2025-26 FIBA WASL West Asia League at the Saryarka Velodrome on Thursday night.
The win, while marking the Kazakhstan outfit’s third win in a row – all at home – also kept Wahda win-less after four games at the end of the first round of all teams playing against once at least.
Adas Juskevicius fired in a long ranger to open the scoring for the game, went on to account for his team’s nine points in the dominating first canto before finishing with a game-high 35 points coming in at a staggering 11/15 field scoring rate.
“My points don’t matter. What really matters is the win,” said the Lithuanian guard also pulled down six boards while dishing out four assists and effecting three steals.
“I am really playing for Astana and happy I am able to contribute to the team’s wins,” he added.
Robert Pan, enhanced his reputation as the commander-in-chief of Astana’s hitherto stellar campaign in their debut season in the WASL West Asia League with another eye-catching show of a dozen points, as many rebounds and half as many assists.
“We didn’t really have a quality game, but it didn’t matter as long as we got a win,” Juskevicius added.
“But we now have time to regroup and come back stronger for the rest of the season,” he said.
James Maran and James Justice each had 18 points for Wahda, who now have their task cut out in the return leg of the season, also having to contend with the blank they drew in the forfeited away game against Gorgan.
“We were very poor defensively in the first quarter. In fact, the entire first half itself,” conceded Wahda coach Wael Badr.
Maran echoed his coach.
“We had a bad start and playing catching up in a game like this, and against an opponent like Astana was never going to be easy,” Maran said.
The 2025-26 FIBA WASL West Asia League now breaks for the Holidays Season with both teams looking forward to home game when action resumes in the New Year.
Wahda will host Lebanese powerhouse Al Riyadi Beirut on Jan 9 with Astana remaining at home to play Iranian Super League champions Shahrdari Gorgan on Jan 15.
Click here for the complete 2025-26 FIBA WASL West Asia League schedule.
FIBA