DUBAI (United Arab Emirates) - Kuwait Club fanned their top-seed hopes after repeating against Sharjah SC, 111-86, in the penultimate game of the 2025-26 FIBA WASL-Gulf League Group Phase, Tuesday night.
The two-time Sub-Zone League titlists turned the Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Sports Hall into their own stomping grounds, unleashing a massive second-quarter assault to flip the momentum in their favor for good.
Coach Dusan Stojkov's charges exploded for 36 points in the said period for the 60-46 lead entering the halftime intermission, and then broke away wide in the fourth en route to hiking their record to 4-2 in Group B.
They've overtaken Al Ula at no. 1 in the process, and will now need the Arabian Leopards to lose big against another hopeful in Al Arabi SC later tonight to be able to secure their position which merits a Semi-Finals berth.
Whatever happens though, the two are headed to the WASL-Gulf League Final Phase, tagging along Al Arabi SC as the lopsided result has formally booted the UAE League Basketball champions out of contention.
"If we finish first in the group, it only brings a small advantage. Our goal is always to go to the end - to play in the Finals," said Stojkov. "If we finish second, then we have in front of us the Qualification to Semi-Finals."
"We are ready for that," the Serbian mentor added. "From the very beginning, we knew that we cannot win all the games in a season, because the competition is very competitive and tough. So, we have to be ready."
Five players finished in double figures for Kuwait Club, with Charlie Moore showing the way with 32 points - spiked by a quintet of triples - alongside 4 rebounds, 10 assists, and a steal. for an efficiency of 36.
Joffrey Lauvergne came through with his own double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Hamad Hasan supplied 17 points and 8 rebounds while Alex Alghais and Moh Hasan added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
"I think it was a great team performance. Everybody had a chance to contribute. We made smart plays and played hard defensively," offered Moore, who bagged home Capelli Sport Player of the Game honors.
Wasted by the defeat, on the other hand, was the 34-point, 6-rebound effort of Glenn Robinson III to lead Sharjah, who bid their Final Phase hopes goodbye in a tough conclusion to their maiden WASL campaign.
Kavell Bigby-Williams backed him up with 16 points and 8 rebounds, while new guy Keljin Blevins added 14 for the reigning UAE League Basketball champions, who finished at fourth in Group B with a 2-4 record.
FIBA