BEIRUT (Lebanon) - Kuwait Club can finally begin treading the road to redemption as they're all set to open their 2025-26 FIBA WASL-Gulf League campaign in their own stomping grounds in Kuwait City this week.
The defending Kuwaiti Division 1 League champions will commence their season against the visiting Al Arabi SC of Qatar on Tuesday at the Shaikh Saad Alabdullah Sport Hall Complex in a battle of league returnees.
Game time is at 19:00 local time, a game which the home team has been waiting for as it marks the start of their bid to regain what they lost after their bid for history last season ended up in utter disappointment.
For a refresher, the long-time Kuwaiti powerhouse was gunning for a then-unprecedented 'three-peat' in the pan-regional contest, only to get swept by Ittihad Club in the best-of-3 Qualification to Semi-Finals.
Eight months later and they're coming into the season in high spirits. Earlier this week, Kuwait Club conquered the Kuwait Super Cup for the 10th time by beating a familiar foe in Al Qadsia SC convincingly, 122-99.
Playing a key role in their golden run was new acquisition Joffrey Lauvergne, who's easily one of the club's most exciting signees over the past few years given his pedigree being a former NBA veteran himself.
Lauvergne is set to be among the team's reinforcements alongside Charlie Moore for this season's WASL-Gulf League competitions in which Kuwait Club will also be banking on local stars like the returning Moh Hasan.
Needless to say, the crew would want to start off on a high note although they know that it won't be any easy, as they will have to get through an Al Arabi side that's keen on completing its very own redemption story.
Led by Bahraini star Mosti Rashed, the reigning Qatari Basketball League champions fell just short of advancing to the Sub-Zone League's Final Phase last season - that, after sharing the no. 1 spot in their group at one point.
The spitfire combo guard is back for another season and the WASL champion will once again be at front and center of their attack, motivated to become the first team from their country to achieve success in this tilt.
Opening Week 2 of the new season, meanwhile, will be comebacking sides Kazama and Muharraq Club on Monday also at the Shaikh Saad Alabdullah Sport Hall Complex, with tipoff scheduled at 19:00 local time as well.
Among WASL's pioneering ball clubs, Kazma missed the 2024-25 edition but managed to find their way back following a runner-up finish behind Kuwait Club during last season's Kuwaiti League finale.
Soon, they'll mark their return to the league with a rematch against the same team which they actually beat in the Third-Place Game of the 2023-24 Gulf League, 93-83, to punch a breakthrough Final 8 appearance.
Homecourt advantage is theirs - the match will actually be in the very same venue where they last met - but the Bahraini Premier League champs, for sure, would want to flip the narrative this time and get even.
Wondering how Week 1 of action turned out? Catch up here.
FIBA