ZOUK MIKAEL (Lebanon) - Sagesse SC triumphed over Shahrdari Gorgan with a score of 103-97 in their opening match of the FIBA WASL Final 8 on Sunday night, thanks in part to a strong performance from Youssef Khayat. The forward contributed 19 points and 7 rebounds, making crucial plays in the final moments of the game to keep his team in the lead after Gorgan tied the score at 97 on a 9-0 run.
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With 46.2 seconds remaining, Khayat hit a critical jumper to give Sagesse a 99-97 advantage. He then secured a rebound from D'Angelo Harrison's missed three-point attempt, maintaining possession for his team. Jamal Jones extended the lead to 101-97 with key points before blocking another shot from Harrison with just 7.4 seconds left. Deshawndre Washington closed the game with an impressive two-handed dunk, sealing the win with only 2.9 seconds on the clock.
The victory marks Sagesse's first win against Gorgan in their last four encounters in the WASL. Head coach Joe Ghattas expressed his satisfaction, stating, "We're very happy. We deserve to grab a win. Great way to start the tournament."
Washington was the standout player for Sagesse, scoring 27 points, along with 10 rebounds and 7 assists, earning the Capelli Sport Player of the Game title with an efficiency rating of 40. Jones added 25 points and recorded 3 of the team's 4 blocks, while Gerard Hadidian contributed 18 points, with four players overall scoring in double figures for Sagesse.
Sagesse (1-0) will next compete against Al Ula Club (1-0) on Tuesday, September 29, at 20:45 local time, after the Arabian Leopards defeated Al Arabi SC 96-72 earlier.
Harrison led Gorgan with 31 points, while teammates Stefan Jankovic and Jordan Stevens scored 23 and 22 points, respectively. The trio fueled Gorgan's late-game rally but ultimately fell short. Gorgan, bronze medalists in the previous year's Final 8, will seek their first victory against the Red Devils of Qatar (0-1) on Tuesday.