BEIRUT (Lebanon) - Three ball clubs will shoot for the solo lead in their respective groups in the Gulf League as the 2025-26 FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) competitions finally resumes this week.
Ittihad Club and Shabab Al Ahli will fight for the top spot in Group A, while Al Ula Club will look to rise atop Group B when they take on Sharjah SC - matches that are set to usher in the Group Phase's second half.
Action begins on Monday in Medina, with the reigning Saudi Basketball League champions hosting the defending Sub-Zone League titlists at the Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hall at 20:00 local time.
Both squads are toting identical 2-1 records and the winner gets to become no. 1 in their pool, although their upcoming clash is a tad more personal for Shabab Al Ahli given what happened in their previous duel.
In an early rematch of last season's Gulf League Final, Ittihad gained a measure of payback through a 94-88 decision at the Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Sports Hall in Dubai to open the 2025-26 festivities.
Still, the mental edge is on Deshawndre Washington & Co. as the UAE League Basketball powerhouse has a 3-1 advantage over the Tigers in their head-to-head, and will definitely look to make it four wins on Monday.
Momentum is also on their side as Shabab Al Ahli are entering the meeting riding a two-game winning streak, whereas Ittihad are coming off an 84-79 loss to Muharraq that foiled their bid of going 3-0.
Meanwhile, Al Ula will try to keep their mastery of Sharjah in an attempt to take the provisional lead in Group B as they're currently sitting at second behind Kuwait Club, who beat them last October 28, 113-108.
The Saudi outfit has since bounced back from that loss with an 87-70 victory over Al Arabi SC, and will be aiming to build its first win streak of the season when they host their UAE counterparts on Tuesday night.
Game time is at 20:00 local time in Medina as well, with the Wael Arakji-led crew keen on sweeping the same team they beat so convincingly, 108-74, in Dubai last October 14 for a successful league debut.
But they're under no illusion that it would be easy, for they know that the defending UAE League champions are out to give Al Ula a dose of their own medicine by winning one on the latter's own stomping grounds.
Add to that the hunger that Sharjah has in getting their second win of the season, especially after suffering a 115-81 beatdown at the hands of two-time WASL-Gulf winners Kuwait Club in Kuwait City the last time out.
It's going to be a busy week ahead as the 2025-26 WASL-West Asia League is set to plunge back into action as well. To know more about the other Sub-Zone League's upcoming schedule, click here.
FIBA