ZOUK MIKAEL (Lebanon) - Tabiat Basketball have officially clinched a spot in the FIBA WASL Final 8, sealing their place among the best in West Asia in just their debut season. For the reigning Iran Basketball League champions, it's a landmark achievement built on resilience, chemistry, and the steady hand of veteran center Ivan Buva.
Coming into Friday's clash against Al Difaa Al Jawi, the stakes were crystal clear: win, and you're in. Lose, and a do-or-die game against Sagesse - in hostile Beirut territory - loomed large. It was a scenario Buva and Tabiat were determined to avoid.
"It's important," Buva said postgame. "If we lost today, then against Sagesse it's going to be more pressure because we are in Beirut... The Final 8 was at stake. We could've closed it against Amman United. We missed that chance. If we missed the second, then I don't know how we would play against Sagesse."
They didn't miss this one.
Tabiat fought back from a sluggish start against Al Difaa, turning a 9-point deficit into an 87-83 win. Buva led the third-quarter surge, scoring 15 of his 22 points during a crucial stretch where Tabiat flipped the game on its head. He finished with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds, and 2 steals - yet another performance in a tournament filled with them.
Over six games, Buva has been one of WASL's most consistent anchors: 20.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting over 54.7 percent from the field. But the Croatian big man says it’s about more than stats.
"For me, it's [been] a great experience,” he said of playing in WASL. "I'm glad we can see how we are with the other group of Middle East teams. I know some foreigners playing there - they are pretty good players. I want to see how I'm standing against them."
Tabiat's journey to the Final 8 hasn't been perfect - with losses to Amman United and reigning champs Al Riyadi - but it's been packed with statement wins and fourth-quarter poise. They've beaten Sagesse, survived a tough Al Difaa challenge twice, and held their own in an overtime battle against the defending champions.
Players like Sina Vahedi and Rasoul Mozafari have made key leaps, while import Perry Petty adds veteran grit. But it's Buva who's been the heartbeat, steadying the team through tense moments and teaching his younger teammates how to manage the pressure of WASL basketball.
“Now it's kind of a bit more relaxed,” he said of qualifying early. “We still want second spot, but it's easier knowing win or lose, it's not going to cost us our final goal.”
Tabiat now turns its attention to seeding, and a final group match against Sagesse. The goal? Keep momentum rolling, secure the No. 2 slot, and head into the Final 8 with confidence.
Because once the knockouts begin - as Buva puts it - "it's one game, anything can happen."
FIBA