Manama clinch inaugural FIBA WASL championship

DUBAI (United Arab Emirates) - Manama emerged as the inaugural FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) champions after overcoming familiar foes Kuwait Club in a thrilling finale, 67-59, Saturday night at the Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Sports Hall.

Mosti Rashed led the way with 18 points, none bigger than the pair of free throws he sank with 28.5 seconds left as it shut the door close on the opposition, who got to within just five, 60-55, after being down by as much as 19 points during the third quarter.

Those foul shots of his also preserved the efforts of Jeremy Evans, Hasan Nowrooz, and Sir'Dominic Pointer in making sure that their Kuwaiti counterparts won't get any closer.

Pointer finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Nowrooz added 13 as Manama copped the title at the expense of the same team that crushed their bid of winning the WASL-Gulf.

Hamad Hasan, on the other hand, led Kuwait Club with 25 points and 6 rebounds in the defeat. Cady Lalanne backed him up with 21 markers and 6 boards as well.

Meanwhile, BC Astana edged Al Riyadi in a tight affair, 94-90, to salvage a third-place finish in the newest pan-regional tournament organized and operated by FIBA.

FIBA West Asia Super League 2023 Final Standings 
1. Manama
2. Kuwait Club
3. BC Astana
4. Al Riyadi 

FIBA