ZOUK MIKAEL (Lebanon) - Zach Lofton was in his element as Sagesse SC gave Ittihad Club a harsh welcome to the FIBA WASL Final 8 following a 99-69 waylaying at the Stade Nouhad Naufal, Saturday night.
The former NBA guard fired a game-high 31 points, 12 of which he produced in the second quarter alone to help the Lebanese powerhouse seize control of the match after lagging behind early no thanks to a jittery start.
He shot an efficient 57.9-percent from the floor, including a 6-of-11 clip from beyond the arc in a performance that also saw him collect 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals - all without committing a single foul.
The 32-year-old could've actually made more but the coaches brought him out with 6:24 to go, and that's because he had already done more than enough damage as his team coasted to a triumphant start to their 2025 bid.
"The team, we compete real hard in practice," said Lofton. "They get me ready for these type of games. The extra work that we all put in, I think it shows. When you make practice harder than the games, you get the result."
Cady Lalanne came through with 13 points and 10 rebounds as he finds himself competing in his third straight Final 8 after playing in the first two with two-time WASL-Gulf League titlists Kuwait Club.
Jad Khalil supplied 12 points - half of which he built from deep - while Omar Jamaleddine made 10 points and 5 rebounds as four of the five starters finished in double figures in the dominant conquest.
Johnny O'Bryant added 9 points behind a perfect 3-for-3 shooting from deep, including one to end the first quarter that gave Sagesee the lead for good, 22-20, before Lofton and the others added on to it in the second.
"i'm just happy for the team. Happy for the team, happy for the coaches. Great win. That's a great team over there (Ittihad). I think we showed that our chemistry's getting better. And, we're playing harder," Lofton said.
The victory should help prime Sagesse for yet another chapter of the famed Beirut Derby as they will lock horns with Al Riyadi on Monday, May 12, at 20:45 local time in a rematch of last year's Final 8 titular bout.
It would also be a battle for the lead in Group A as both teams will enter the highly anticipated meeting coming off big wins. The defending WASL champions cruised past BC Astana, 93-58, earlier in the night.
"Every team came here to compete and win. Day by day, step by step we're getting better individually and as a group. All the games, especially in this Group Phase, are super important," said assistant coach Anatolia Boisa.
Majok Deng, meanwhile, had 22 points and 9 rebounds to lead Ittihad, who came into the Final 8 a spent squad after having competed in the Saudi Basketball League's Ministry of Sports Cup just a few days ago.
Keron DeShields made 11 points and 9 assists - just two from tying, three from breaking the Final 8 record for most assists in a game set last year by Kazma's Ahmad Albaloushi and Astana's Markell Johnson.
"I don't want to blame my players, but they are exhausted," lamented Ittihad head coach Slobodan Subotic. "They've had so many games, so many injuries to players this year ... but we need to concentrate."
Ittihad will look to put themselves on track when they face Astana on Monday as well at 17:45 local time.
FIBA