ZOUK MIKAEL (Lebanon) - Sagesse SC concluded their FIBA WASL Final 8 2026 Group Phase on a high note, defeating Al Arabi SC 90-85 on Thursday night. Despite already securing a spot in the Semi-Finals, Sagesse continued their winning momentum with a strong performance in the fourth quarter, marking a complete sweep of Group B.
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Coach Joe Ghattas emphasized the team's commitment to improvement, stating, "We're building the team game by game. We're trying to fix our mistakes ... we're trying to get better every single night." Youssef Khayat led Sagesse with 24 points and 6 rebounds, while Ali Mezher contributed 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in his best performance since returning to the team.
Khayat and Mezher sparked a turnaround, each hitting a three-pointer in quick succession that shifted a one-point deficit to a 69-64 lead with 7:35 remaining. Karim Ezzedine also joined the scoring, helping to push the lead to 74-66 following a 13-2 run.
Sagesse extended their advantage to 13 points twice in the closing minutes, proving sufficient to stifle Al Arabi's final push. Deshawndre Washington recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 14 rebounds, and 17 assists. Jamal Jones also finished with 12 points, while Ezzedine added 11 points and 8 rebounds in AJ English's absence.
Looking ahead, Sagesse will face Kuwait Club in the Semi-Finals on Saturday. The teams previously met in 2024 in Doha, where Sagesse narrowly won 76-72, later finishing as runners-up. Ezzedine reflected on the upcoming match, noting that while they have faced Kuwait before, the dynamics have changed with different rosters.
For Al Arabi, Mustafa Rashed led the team with 24 points and 6 rebounds as they completed their inaugural Final 8 campaign without a win. Elmedin Kikanovic added 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Sindou Diallo contributed 14 points. Khaled Abdelbaset scored 13 points off the bench, and Abdulrahman Saad recorded 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists for the Qatari champions.