BEIRUT (Lebanon) - WASL Final 8 is a stage reserved only for the best of the best. That’s why BS Astana are lined up and ready to take on the challenge.

There are few clubs in Asia - let alone in Kazakhstan - that have experienced as much success in just a short amount of time.

They’ve tasted the level of competition among clubs in Asia in the past. Now, they are back for more. How far will they go?

HISTORY

Astana Basketball Club, or BC Astana as they are commonly referred to, was founded in March 2011. The club’s initial aim was to play in a high level of competition internationally and were able to push on all ends to be able to make that happen.

As the club has always had high expectations for themselves, they have always sought out highly regarded international coaches from all over Europe from Italy, Serbia, Lithuania, Greece, Russia, and North Macedonia. The list of players who have put on the Astana jersey in the past is impressive as well, including national team heroes in Anton Ponomarev and Anthony Clemmons.

BC Astana are well recognized for their teal branding and recently went through a major logo change in 2022.

PAST SUCCESS

As mentioned above, there are not many teams that can match BS Astana’s level of success relative to the time they have existed.

The team has won outright the Kazakhstan National League in 11 of their past 12 seasons. The lone season that they didn’t win was in 2015-16 where they finished second. The team has been so dominant that they haven’t even lost a playoff game ever since 2016.

In their 13 seasons playing in the National League, Astana have had five seasons going undefeated. Then there are four more seasons where they lost only one game.

Astana also have experienced success at the international level. In their lone appearance so far the FIBA Asia Champions Cup in 2017, they battled their way through the top clubs in Asia to make a trip to the Semi-Finals. They lost to the eventual champions Xinjiang Flying Tigers, but went on to secure third place.

They have yet to return to the Asia Champions Cup, but could this be the year?

HOW DID THEY GET HERE

On 6 May, 2023, BC Astana clinched their seventh straight and 11th overall National League title by sweeping Barsy Atyrau in a best-of-5 Finals series.

Astana took care of business on their homecourt in the first two games with ease, winning 110-62 and 84-46, respectively. Game 3 proved to be a bigger test for the eventual champions as the lead changed hands 8 times, but Astana still prevailed with a 58-52 victory.

With the win, Astana were off headed to WASL Final 8 as champions of Kazakhstan and of Central Asia.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

BC Astana’s strength stems from their balanced depth throughout the roster. Aside from some talented foreign players whom the team has confirmed between Martin Krampelj and Karvel Anderson, Astana also has featured in their roster many national team players.

Among one of the key leaders is Rustam Murzagaliyev. The 31-year-old played 23.9 minutes per game and averaged 11.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per contest in the national league while shooting 41 percent from downtown. He was also among one of the players who played in every World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers games for the Steppen Wolves, so it’s expected that he will make an impact as Astana aims to make a deep run in this WASL Final 8.

Also not to be overlooked is the presence of Maxim Marchuk, Ruslan Aitkali, and Dmitriy Gavrilov, all of whom provided the team with decent scoring and rebounding in approximately 20 minutes per game each.

FIBA