KUWAIT CITY (Kuwait) - Just like in the past two seasons, Kuwait Club find itself sitting atop their group in the 2024/2025 FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL).
It's a position that the reigning 2-time Gulf League champs have grown comfortable to be in, that being dislodged would actually feel a tad foreign. But what makes their present run all the more impressive is the fact that they aren't complete yet.
We can’t wait for the injured guys to come back and fill their positions, then the team will be more powerful.
The team on Monday night notched their third win in as many games following a pulsating 75-71 victory over Shabab Al Ahli in the latter's home turf in Dubai, in the process seizing the provisional lead in Group A of the Sub-Zone League.
It was the toughest test they have had thus far in this season, needing some heroics not just from their reinforcements but from the locals as well to make sure that they'd stay unbeaten - and to keep their mastery of the UAE powerhouse in this league.
Hamad Hasan himself was key in the triumph, nailing the dagger trifecta with 45.8 seconds left to play to make it a 7-point gap in yet another proof of how big he's been for this team that's always been among the favorites in the pan-regional contest.
"This is my job, and I got the job done," said the star forward, who finished with 13 points, spiked by a pair of outside shots, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
But more than that gutsy shot that took the wind out of their foes' sails, it's really the fight they showed as a collective that the 27-year-old felt so proud of.
"We are fighters," said Hasan. "We never give up. We have a rotation, and everybody wants to play. Each of us did his role, and this is how we won."
It's mainly because this present-day Kuwait Club remains a work in progress. As mentioned before, the team is still perfecting their chemistry together with the presence of new guys in JaKarr Sampson, Augustine Rubit, and Briante Weber.
Three games into the season, the trio have seemingly found their niche. They are currently the perennial contenders' top players numbers-wise, and mainly the reason why the squad has been the most efficient in the Gulf League so far (104.0 EFFPG).
Not to be forgotten, of course, are the locals. Hasan himself is averaging a solid 10.5 points per ball game, with the duo of Omran Jawhar and Masaed Aloutaibi providing significant contributions as well for the team of Coach Peter Schomers.
But the scary thing with Kuwait Club, which may be not-so-good news for the other competing ball clubs in the Gulf League, is that this isn't their best form - yet.
While they're in the process of polishing their oneness, the team is still waiting for some key cogs to return from injuries, namely Moh Hasan and Ali Hadhoud.
Hamad can only imagine how good the group could become when they finally get complete once more - and when the Hasan Bros. reunite on the court.
"We can’t wait for the injured guys to come back and fill their positions, then the team will be more powerful," the Kuwait national team standout said.
FIBA