BEIRUT (Lebanon) - BC Astana aren’t strangers to the FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) Final 8.
In fact, this will be their third straight appearance in the competition. The club from Kazakhstan’s capital is hungry for more - and they’re aiming to show they belong on the FIBA WASL’s biggest stage once again.
Founded in 2011 with a vision to compete at the highest level internationally, BC Astana wasted no time in establishing themselves as the dominant force in Kazakhstan. They're the team to beat in Kazakhstan and have continued to make sure everyone knows it.
Astana also boast international credibility. They made a strong run in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2017, finishing third. In WASL, they’ve now become a regular fixture at the Final 8, representing Central Asia with pride.
This year’s domestic journey has been anything but conventional.
They finished the regular season of the Kazakhstan National League with a 12-16 record, entering the Playoffs as the 6th seed - far from their usual top-tier dominance. But once the postseason began, a different Astana emerged.
The team swept third-seed Barsy Atyrau 2-0, dominated Tobol in the Semi-Finals 3-0, and are now up 2-0 against top-seed Irbis Almaty in the Finals. Now undefeated in the Playoffs, Astana are peaking at the right time.
WASL history
Astana made waves in the first ever WASL Final 8 in 2023, finishing third overall. They went 3-0 in the Group Phase - handing Kuwait Club their first-ever WASL loss - and reached the Semi-Finals before falling to eventual champions Manama. They then edged Al Riyadi in a thrilling 94-90 victory to secure the bronze.
Their 2024 WASL Final 8 campaign wasn’t as smooth, finishing 1-2 in a stacked group. Despite a dazzling 122-117 win over Manama, defeats to Al Riyadi and Sagesse cut their tournament short. Even so, their flair, grit, and competitiveness left a mark.
Key players
Astana have always featured some of the best talents available in Kazakhstan and this year should be no different. Rustam Murzagaliyev is basically an Astana lifer and is not only one of the club's biggest stars, but one of the national team's biggest stars as well. He's been one of Astana's top players throughout their previous WASL Final 8 runs and was also part of the Astana team that finished third place in the Asia Champions Cup 2017.
The Kazakh club are also expected to rely on the play of 26-year-old point guard Tahjon Starks. In the national league Finals, he is averaging 19.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
FIBA