BEIRUT (Lebanon) - The other half of the field will finally see action as the Gulf League's Group B teams headline Week 2 of the 2024/2025 FIBA WASL season.
Action starts on Monday, with perennial contenders Manama flying out to Kuwait City to test the mettle of newcomers Al Qadsia in the first of two games of the week. The other is a meeting between Ittihad Club and Al Arabi SC the following day.
So, that's one FIBA WASL pioneer and three debutants, making this pool all the more interesting to see unfold as the season goes. And along with it comes the intriguing questions for each of these participants, enumerated below.
Manama: First Gulf League title, at last?
The Bahraini Premier League powerhouse wrote its name in FIBA club competition history as the inaugural WASL champions, yet there remains something missing from what has been a very stacked trophy case of theirs: the Gulf League title.
They've reached the Sub-Zone League Final twice in as many seasons but they fell short, losing to Kuwait Club on both instances. Yes, the same club they beat in the 2023 Final 8 in Dubai in a thrilling title bout to crown themselves as champs.
Is the chase going to end this year? Coach Linos Gavriel and Co. surely hope so but as always, it may be an uphill battle - again. The team has undergone some changes, which includes the departure of Mohammed Ameer and Ali Rashed to Muharraq.
Gone as well were their reinforcements in the last two seasons in Travin Thibodeaux and Sir'Dom Pointer, who is now with Shabab Al Ahli. Taking their roles now are WASL vet Clint Chapman, former Kuwait Club guard Tony Carr, and Carlton Brigg, Jr.
Al Arabi SC: Qatar's best hope?
Manama, though, are no longer strangers to personnel changes. But this particular season could be more exciting for some especially for their fans, when they go up particularly against the lone representative of Qatar: Al Arabi.
That is because the defending Qatari Basketball League champions will be parading star shooter Mosti Rashed, who was loaned to the team late last year.
The 22-year-old starred in Manama's golden run in the 2023 Final 8 and he further proved himself as one of the region's best young players when he helped Al Arabi win not only the domestic league crown but the Arab Club Championship as well.
Thus, the excitement surrounding his WASL comeback and their scheduled meeting against Manama on November 7 in the latter's home floor.
But it's not just that reunion of sorts that fans await. With Rashed in the fold, some are wondering: Will Al Arabi be Qatar's best hope in the league?
For starters, they will be the third Qatari team to compete in WASL after Al Sadd and Al Rayyan. But none of their predecessors were able to reach the Gulf League Semi-Finals. Can Al Arabi become the first? That's something we have to wait and see.
Ittihad Club: Contender from Saudi Arabia?
One of the region's most revered clubs are coming to WASL with Ittihad Club all set to compete and they are entering the tilt with high expectations on them.
Aside from the fact that they are the second winningest team in the Saudi Basketball League with 16 championships, the yellow-and-black side are seen to revive Saudi Arabia's status as one of the best teams in the pan-regional competition.
That's because the last two seasons have seen mixed results from their contingents. Al Hilal made it all the way to the Gulf League Semi-Finals in the 2022/2023 edition, bowing to eventual runners-up Manama via sweep in their best-of-3 series.
But in the following season, Al Ahli Jeddah couldn't sustain as much. They started their campaign at 0-3 and although they managed to win two of their final three assignments, that wasn't enough to catch a bus to the sub-zone's Final Phase.
Can Ittihad Club do it?
Al Qadsia: Another threat from Kuwait?
Over the last two seasons, teams from Kuwait have attained success. Of course there's Kuwait Club as the reigning two-time Gulf League champions, as well as Kazma, who finished third in the sub-zone last season and reached the Final 8.
Will Al Qadsia be as successful? They may have a case. One of the Kuwaiti Basketball League's top teams made a key addition by acquiring defensive whiz Abdulaziz Alhamidi, who was with Kazma in the two seasons they competed in WASL.
Reinforcing the squad are Phil Greene, Croatian Tomislac Zubcic, and Chinemelu Elonu, who was part of the Zamalek team that won the inaugural Basketball Africa League title in 2021 by beating a US Monastir side that had Wael Arakji.
FIBA