BEIRUT (Lebanon) - There's some unfinished business that Al Arabi SC would want to settle heading into the 2025-26 FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) competitions that commences this coming Monday.
FIBA WASL history
The Qatari Basketball League (QBL) outfit made their WASL debut just last season, and made quite an impression when they bounced back from losing their first game by winning the next two - including an upset of Manama.
So with a 2-1 record, the team was able to gain a share of the Group B lead with Al Qadsia SC. That, of course, meant at least getting halfway into achieving their true goal of advancing to the Final Phase.
But whatever hopes they had would turn into frustration. Al Arabi, beset by injuries, bowed to Ittihad Club, and went on to lose their next two outings - ironically against the same teams they had previously beaten.
And none could be more painful than the 88-81 defeat they absorbed at the hands of Qadsia in the penultimate game of the Group Phase as it kicked them out of the contention, thus the abrupt end to their campaign.
Qualifying path
That early exit, though, motivated the crew to pour all their effort in the QBL at that time, and they'd go on to reap the benefits of their hard work as Al Arabi went on to win the 2024-25 crown by sweeping Al Rayyan.
So by doing quick work in the best-of-3 title series, the squad punched a return ticket to the pan-regional tilt owned and operated by FIBA, giving themselves an opportunity for that heartbreaker of a stint last season.
Players to watch
Inaugural WASL champion Mosti Rashed is once again spearheading Al Arabi's campaign as the club opted to retain his services for another season after flourishing with them over the past two seasons.
The former Manama star, named MVP of the 2024 Arab Championship, posted per-game averages of 15.0 points on 41.9-percent shooting from deep, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists during the 2024-25 WASL-Gulf League.
Now, he's heading into another WASL run fresh off a solid showing in the 2025 Arab Championship, in which he finished as the tournament's top scorer after helping Al Arabi to a bronze-medal finish.
But of course, it won't just be all Mosti as the squad will also have solid contributions coming from players such as Abdulrahman Saad and Khaled Abdelbaset, both of which performed well last season.
Al Arabi SC are drawn in Group B together with former two-time Sub-Zone League champions Kuwait Club and newcomers Sharjah SC and Al Ula Club. To know more about their 2025-26 WASL campaign, click here.
FIBA