ZOUK MIKAEL (Lebanon) - Do not expect Al Riyadi to rest on their laurels anytime soon.
After accomplishing their goal of booking a third successive trip to the FIBA WASL Final 8, the Lebanese powerhouse now wants no less than a sweep of the 2024/2025 West Asia League competitions.
"Of course, to be undefeated, honestly," said Wael Arakji. "Although we have qualified, we cannot stop there. We still have two more games, and we need to be fully focused for these two games to avoid any loss."
The star guard offered as much Wednesday night, moments after emerging triumphant in the Beirut Derby yet again following a 100-85 conquest of Sagesse SC before a packed crowd at the Stade Nouhad Naufal.
It was their sixth win in as many outings, enabling the reigning WASL champions to become the first team from the Sub-Zone League to punch a ticket to the pan-regional meet's culminating event set next month.
They have created even more separation from the other teams as well with their present record, with the no. 2 and 3 positions still being disputed by the four other teams as an intense battle among themselves looms.
After Wednesday's fixtures, Tabiat Basketball are sitting at second in the standings with a 3-2 win-loss slate, followed by Amman United Club (2-4), Sagesse (2-3), and the once winless Al Difaa Al Jawi SC (1-5).
That's why Arakji & Co. wouldn't want to take their next two assignments - the Jordanian crew on Saturday and then the Iran champs following night to wrap up the tourney - lightly to avoid any complication from happening.
"We don't wanna lose, honestly. Losing brings bad vibes," said the lefty playmaker, who had 20 points and 6 assists against Sagesse. "So our main focus is to win these two games and hopefully qualify as the first in our group."
And if they do that, Al Riyadi would be writing themselves in WASL's history books as the first team to achieve a three-peat - something that Kuwait Club missed out on after a shock exit over at the Gulf League Final Phase.
They're just two games away from achieving unprecedented success and even though it would be challenging given the quality of their upcoming opponents, head coach Ahmad Farran likes his wards' chances.
"Big chances, I believe," he said. "We are the favorites. We are the contenders."
"And, I don't have any other choice. When you work in Riyadi, you don't have any other choice," the decorated bench tactician continued, with tongue in cheek. "This is the pressure I live with, the players live with."
Because each and everyone within the organization is driven by a common goal and that is to defend all their championships, and he knows - and trusts - that they'd all do whatever it takes to do that.
"We are out to defend all our titles, hopefully we can make it, " he said. "It could be the third time in a row we [could] manage to win the West Asia zone, and now we're looking forward to the Final 8 for a repeat. Hopefully."
FIBA