BEIRUT (Lebanon) - Shahrdari Gorgan are hoping that third time's the charm now that the Iranian ball club have made their way back into the FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) after missing the 2024-25 festivities.
FIBA WASL history
Before falling short of qualifying for the pan-regional competition's third season, Gorgan had already written quite a solid track record, highlighted by back-to-back runner-up finishes in the WASL-West Asia League.
Their 2023-24 campaign culminated with a bronze medal in the Final 8 in Doha, Qatar, which also served as their ticket to the Basketball Champions League Asia in the same year and led to a Semi-Final appearance.
Qualifying path
Now, they have the chance to strike gold this time after authoring a solid redemption arc at home.
After failing to achieve a 'four-peat' in the 2023-24 Iranian Basketball Super League, Gorgan came back strong the following season and exacted vengeance against the same team which foiled their bid for history.
They swept Tabiat Basketball in the best-of-5 titular affair, a payback that couldn't get any sweeter after falling to by way of a heartbreaking 99-94 overtime defeat in the winner-take-all Game 5 of their previous series.
Players to watch
Gone are the stars like Sina Vahedi and Arsalan Kazemi but Gorgan remain a team so solid, with another Iran national team standout Mobin Sheikhi now headlining the squad along with established reinforcements.
Set to help him out in leading their charge would be the renowned Perry Petty and Jordan Hamilton, who previously suited up for Iraqi team Al Difaa Al Jawi SC in the previous WASL-West Asia League season.
FIBA Asia Champions Cup veteran Meisam Mirzaei - who saw action for Naft Abadan and Petrochimi, in that order - is in the fold, as well as Mohammad Hassanzadeh, who played for ZobAhan in the WASL inaugurals.
Gorgan will be among the five teams duking it out in the 2025 WASL-West Asia League, along with rivals Al Riyadi, Sagesse SC, Al Wahda SC, and BC Astana. To know more about their upcoming campaign, click here.
FIBA