Al Hekma Beirut completed the Group B opening round of the West Asia Super League Final 8 with an undefeated record, securing their spot in the semifinals alongside Saudi club Al Ula following a series of hard-fought matches in Zouk Mikael.
The regional basketball championship reached its semifinal stage as group play concluded at the Nouhad Naufal Complex in Lebanon. Al Hekma claimed top honors in Group B with a flawless run, capping off the round-robin phase with a tight 90-85 victory over Qatar’s Al Arabi without suffering a single defeat.
Al Hekma Claims Group B Summit With Clean Sweep
The Lebanese side faced a demanding group schedule that tested their depth and composure. In their opening fixture, Al Hekma edged Iran’s Shahrdari Gorgan 103-97 in a high-scoring encounter where Deshandre Washington led all scorers with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Washington later delivered another stellar performance against Al Ula, pouring in 39 points during a 95-89 victory that secured Al Hekma’s qualification to the next round.
Even though their final group match against Al Arabi carried no bearing on qualification standings—since Al Hekma had already locked up the top seed—the hosts maintained their competitive edge. Al Arabi fought to finish their tournament appearance on a positive note, keeping the score close throughout before Al Hekma pulled away in the final period.
Al Ula Secures Semifinal Berth Behind Stewart’s Scoring Surge
Al Ula booked the second qualification spot from Group B following a commanding 99-84 win over Shahrdari Gorgan in the decisive group-stage finale. Elijah Stewart powered the Saudi club’s offense with a 44-point performance, shooting efficiently from the field and hitting six three-pointers.
The Saudi side’s attack benefited from a triple-double by David Michineau, who contributed 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. Al Ula established control early, building a 53-39 halftime lead and maintaining a comfortable margin despite a late fourth-quarter push from Gorgan.
Semifinal Matchups Set for the Final 8 Showdown
With the group stage concluded, the tournament schedule transitions to the knockout rounds in Zouk Mikael. Al Hekma advances to face Kuwait Club of Kuwait, who finished as runners-up in Group A. In the other semifinal bracket, defending champions Al Riyadi Beirut will square off against Al Ula.
Al Riyadi secured their own progression after topping Group A, managing group victories despite missing players. Filling in for suspended head coach Ahmed Fran, acting coach Ahmed Yamout noted that his squad adjusted after slow starts in group play. We started the game slowly; it is difficult to motivate players in a match like this, because we knew in advance that we were guaranteed the group lead
, Yamout explained regarding their tactical adjustments during the tournament’s opening phase.
