BEIRUT (Lebanon) - Al Qadsia will stake their immaculate record as the 2024/2025 FIBA West Asia Super League (WASL) competitions continue this week.
The ball club from Kuwait are sitting atop Group B of the Gulf League all by their lonesome following huge wins over inaugural champions Manama and fellow newcomer Ittihad Club, easily making them a team to watch this season.
GROUP B
Needless to say, Coach Joey Stiebing and Co. would want to extend their unbeaten run to three games when they take on Al Arabi on Tuesday night in Qatar.
Game time is at 20:00 local time at the Al-Gharafa Sports Club Multi-Purpose Hall in Doha, with the visitors looking to ace their first test on the road.
If they do, they'd maintain what has been an impressive run for Kuwaiti teams so far this season, where they are the no. 1 seeds of their own groups.
Kuwait Club remained in the lead in Group A with a 3-0 card after beating Shabab Al Ahli last week, extending as well their mastery of the UAE champions for four games now in a streak that dates back all the way to the league's inaugural season.
But it may be easier said than done for Qadsia, as they will be facing a team whose morale has gone sky-high after their breakthrough win at the expense of Manama.
Yes, one of the league's new competitors just took the Bahraini powerhouse's scalp by way of a thrilling 85-84 result, dealing the latter their second defeat in as many games - the first time in WASL that the team started a season with back-to-back Ls.
It's worth mentioning, too, that the Red Devils will have an even more confident Moustafa Fouda back in tow as he's coming off a historic win against Iran to make it a November window to remember for Qatar in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.
There, the sweet-shooting guard helped the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 hosts take down Team Melli for the first time in 19 years in easily one of the biggest developments for a program that's building up for the global showpiece.
Now, he's out to carry over his solid play to WASL and lead the way in stopping the hot Qadsia from their tracks - and put together Al Arabi's own winning streak.
Opening Week 4 of WASL-Gulf, meanwhile, will see Ittihad Club host Manama on Monday, 18:00 local time, at the Green Basketball Court in Jeddah.
The Saudi Arabian crew are keen on bouncing back after that loss to Qadsia, although they may be in for a challenge now that the team of Coach Linos Gavriel have seemingly regained their spunk after an uncharacteristic start into the season.
Manama recently won the Bahraini Super Cup, giving the team not only another gold to a rich collection but the reps they've been needing after coming into this WASL still working things out among themselves as the Bahraini league hasn't opened yet.
The former FIBA Intercontinental Cup participants are expected to parade a new reinforcement in AJ John, who's back for another WASL stint after playing for Al Ittihad Ahli of Syria in the West Asia League just last season.
FIBA