JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) - There's no such thing as a championship hangover for Ittihad Club.
Mere days after completing their redemption story in the Saudi Basketball League, the squad hardly missed a beat and denied Al Qadsia SC of a sweep in the 2024/2025 FIBA WASL-Gulf League Semi-Finals.
No days off.
Everybody in the organization were, of course, coming off a celebration for finally getting the championship after being foiled by Al Hilal last season, but none of them forgot about the job that they had to get done.
"We just had a championship game two days ago and we came in here, put that aside and said, 'You know what, we gotta handle business," said Keron DeShields after their 74-71 Game 2 win Tuesday at the Green Basketball Court.
"That was a beautiful thing to see," he added.
DeShields couldn't be any prouder with the way Ittihad turned things around despite the euphoria brought about by winning gold, which also shows how much they've all bought in to head coach Slobodan Subotic.
The veteran mentor has always put a premium on hard work and discipline, and proof of which was their return to practice the day after they won the title - a 76-75 decision against a former WASL competitor in Al Ahli.
"Coach brought us in the next day. We had a two-a-day [practice]," said the American guard, who starred in the Final with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. "The next day, all our players came in and shot. We don't rest."
Subotic then interjected: "No days off."
DeShields could only smile and continue, "He's a European coach. You know how European coaches are. Coach is not playing with us," leaving the veteran bench tactician with a grin after hearing as much.
That light moment they shared while sitting next to each other during the postgame presser spoke volumes with the kind of bond that they've built ever since 'KD' joined Ittihad back in December of last year.
Both men practically share the same beliefs and values, particularly in the power of work, and so they hardly needed a break-in time of sorts to get aligned with another which fans could see reflect on the hardwood.
And all of Ittihad have embraced as much, too.
"We literally practice, practice, practice, and there's no [other] recipe for hard work," he said.
"And Coach knows that. He puts us through the wringer. He was a player," DeShields furthered. "So, he understands what it does for us, and the guys buy into him. And we work. That's the formula: work."
That formula definitely worked in pulling off the narrow win against their Kuwaiti counterparts to not only to end a three-game losing skid against them but to keep their Gulf League Final hopes alive.
DeShields himself showed the way with 23 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals, delivering most especially during crunch time as he nailed three important free throws in separate trips to repel Qadsia.
But others stepped up as well to force a Game 3 this coming Tuesday in Kuwait City.
Recent addition Tevin Mack, for one, came through with 17 points and 5 rebounds, while veteran center Mohammed Almarwani supplied 15 points and 7 rebounds for a side that missed Makur Maker due to an injury.
Definitely, they're going to gear up for the do-or-die affair the best way they know how: putting in the work.
To put on not just for the city of Jeddah, but for the nation, too.
"For us, we're defensive-minded. So we don't care. We're tough. And we're ready for whatever. And we're fighters. We love it. We love the closeout. We know what we gotta do," said DeShields.
"We gotta fight," he added, "and show what Saudi basketball is about."
FIBA