DUBAI (United Arab Emirates) - Al Riyadi leaned on a big second half to beat Changwon LG, 103-76, and reach the BCL Asia 2025 Quarter-Finals, Sunday night at the Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Sports Hall.
Wael Arakji sparked the third-quarter rally to erase a 55-53 deficit before Marcus Georges-Hunt, Hayk Gyokchyan, and Elmedin Kikanovic powered the pullaway in the fourth to formalize their entry to the next round.
The defending champions did as much in just their first game of the tournament, tagging along Taoyuan Pauian as the result also enabled the Pilots to advance after the Sakers dropped to 0-2 in Group C.
With this, the Quarter-Finals are taking shape - Group A teams Tabiat, the Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos, and the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions plus Meralco and Shabab Al Ahli of Group B have all sealed their own places.
"It's very important for us to put a foot into the next part of this tournament," offered head coach Ahmad Farran. "But I believe that if we want to win everything, it doesn't matter who we face."
Arakji and Thon Maker finished with 24 points apiece, with the towering center adding 8 rebounds and 3 blocks to his name to collect an efficiency of 32 - the highest among all players in this match.
Georges-Hunt supplied 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor as the versatile winger was comfortable playing in the arena he once called home after suiting up for Shabab Al Ahli in last year's BCL Asia.
The comebacking Kikanovic, meanwhile, also flirted with a double-double as he chalked up 13 points and 8 rebounds. Gyokchyan chipped in 10 points, as five players finished in double figures.
'Kika' and the tandem of Georges-Hunt and Gyokchyan put together the 11-2 run to open the fourth quarter, giving themselves an 85-67 with less than seven minutes left and that set the tone for the rout that ensued.
Ali Mansour only had 6 points but racked up 12 of Al Riyadi's 26 assists as Farran continues to have a formidable squad at his disposal even though they don't have Amir Saoud, who's out due to a rib injury.
"It's very hard to fill the spot of Amir. Amir is a very important player in our team. He's one of the best creators on offense in the region, him and Wael," said Farran. "I wish that he will come back very soon."
Pauly Paulicap, on the other hand, made 21 points and 14 rebounds to lead Changwon LG, who will now have to wait for the other games' results to determine whether or not it can still qualify.
Big man Kevin Allen finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds, while Yang Junseok and Yu Kisang produced 14 and 11 points, respectively, for the 2024-25 Korean Basketball League champions.
FIBA