Al Riyadi Defeats Indian Railways 104-81 in WASL Final 8 Opener

With a strong performance from a trio comprising Nick West, Zach Lofton, and Donovan Williams, Al Riyadi executed a decisive 19-4 run, taking a 54-42 lead into halftime and maintaining their dominance throughout the match. The team's largest lead reached 26 points, which pleased head coach Ahmad Farran given that it was their first game together without prior friendly matches.

“This was our first official game. We didn't play friendly games. So, we expected to start slowly. But we improved during the game, we played good defense. We managed to kill the game at the right time,” Farran stated.

Williams led the way with 28 points, complemented by 12 rebounds, one steal, and two blocks. West added 21 points and also secured 12 rebounds, while Lofton, returning to the club after helping them win the 2024 BCL Asia title, contributed 16 points. Naim Rabay chipped in with 11 points, as four players finished in double figures.

Farran expressed satisfaction with the performance but acknowledged there was room for improvement ahead of their next game against Kuwait Club (1-0) on Monday, September 28, at 20:45 local time. Kuwait Club previously defeated Ittihad Club, 105-97.

In the loss for Indian Railways, Darlinstone Dubar led with 23 points and seven rebounds, though the defeat marked their fourth consecutive loss in the regional competition. Tim Dalger and former Sagesse SC player Cleanthony Early both scored 18 points, with Early being disqualified during the third quarter due to a technical foul.

Coach Rajan Sharma highlighted issues with foul trouble and rebounding: “We got into foul trouble. Arvinder Singh fouled out. Princepal Singh had four fouls. Early got ejected. And we didn't control the boards. We really need to be good on the defensive boards.” Indian Railways will face Ittihad on Monday as they look to secure their first win.