- 12
- Apr.
- 2025
The “Green Castle” is heading to the WASL Final 8. In a tense yet well-controlled match, Ilias Zouros’ men outplayed Amman United (88–76), led by a blazing-hot Zach Lofton. A well-earned qualification and a strong statement heading into the final stage.
There was no room for error—and they answered with heart… and with fire in their wrists.
On Friday night at Nouhad Nawfal, La Sagesse punched its ticket to the Final 8 of the West Asia Super League. Up against a scrappy Jordanian side, the Greens played their game (88–76), led by an on-fire Zach Lofton: 34 points on 13-of-18 shooting, 7 three-pointers, 10 assists, 4 rebounds… and a killer smile all through the third quarter.
Lofton in MVP Mode
Just two days after dropping 40 points on Riyadi, the American did it again with another masterclass. Draining long-range daggers with surgical precision, he also orchestrated the team’s offense flawlessly.
“We played as a team, with heart. We did the job defensively and found our identity offensively,” he said after the game, clearly determined to take Sagesse even further.
The spark came early from Omar Jamaleddine, who set the tone with a strong first quarter (8 points) and delivered big in the third. The Lebanese shooting guard, all smiles after nailing a three early in the second half, finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists—tying his season high.
A Composed, Collective Sagesse
Greek coach Ilias Zouros, rarely this animated, praised his team’s total performance:
“They played with huge heart. 21 assists—that’s the number I love. Tonight, we were a real team. We got the job done.”
Scenes Behind the Scenes
Inside Nouhad Nawfal Arena, the Green Castle faithful were in full force—green t-shirts, drums, flags waving nonstop. The energy never dipped. After the final buzzer, Lofton went over to personally greet the young fans packed behind the bench, headphones on and that familiar, knowing grin.
What’s Next?
With a 3–3 record, La Sagesse now joins Al Riyadi and Tabiat in the Final 8—a stage where everything becomes possible again.
“We’ve hit our first goal. Now we’re aiming higher,” said Lofton, already looking ahead to May.
As for Amman United, despite a strong debut season, their campaign ends just shy of the semifinals. But coach Abdallah Abuqoura remains positive. “A great experience for us. We’ll come back stronger.” Deal.
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