- 08:50
Still reeling from their loss to Astana a few days earlier, the three-time West Asia champions responded in the best possible way, grinding out a prestigious 85–83 road victory over Shahrdari Gorgan. Hayk Gyokchyan delivered a masterclass in the money time to seal the win on Iranian soil.
Some defeats leave scars; some responses reset the clock. Beaten in Astana after a 15-game winning streak in the WASL group phase, Al Riyadi knew they could not afford another slip-up in Tehran against the reigning Iranian champions, who were unbeaten this season.
Inside a raucous Azadi Arena, Ahmad Farran’s men delivered exactly the performance expected of them: tough, composed when it mattered most, and led by players willing to take responsibility. By the final buzzer, Riyadi had secured an 85–83 victory over Gorgan, a direct rival for the West Asia crown, perfectly reigniting the Yellow Castle’s momentum.
A Clash of Heavyweights at Azadi Arena
Riyadi versus Gorgan has become a regional classic. The two clubs contested the first two WASL West Asia finals, with the Lebanese side holding the edge in head-to-head matchups. Once again, the game lived up to expectations: no real separation, runs answered by counter-runs, and a scoreboard that never truly settled.
Offensively, the Lebanese champions showcased their depth. Amir Saoud led the way with 20 points, tying for game-high scoring, supported by a complete performance from Perrin Buford (18 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists) and a Gyokchyan who stayed impactful even during quieter stretches. Gorgan answered with 20 points each from Jordan Hamilton and Parrish Petty, confirming the game’s heavyweight status at the top of the conference.
Riyadi never fully silenced the crowd. Every Lebanese push was met with an Iranian response, driven by a home crowd eager to celebrate a fourth straight victory. But a team that has already lifted the West Asia title three times knows these atmospheres too well to panic.
Gyokchyan’s Ice-Cold Finish
As so often, everything came down to the final seconds. A tied game, maximum tension, foul management, shortened rotations — pure money-time basketball. That is precisely when Hayk Gyokchyan took control.
First, the Lebanese big man calmly knocked down two free throws with under a minute remaining to tilt the score in Riyadi’s favor. On the next possession, Gorgan had a chance to regain the lead, but Nosratollah Yazarloo’s long-range attempt fell short.
Buford secured the defensive rebound, pushed the ball up the floor and, instead of forcing the issue, found Gyokchyan on the handoff. A clean jumper, perfectly timed, nearly at the buzzer: Riyadi up four, and the arena frozen in silence.
Gyokchyan finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds, Buford narrowly missed a double-double (18 points, 9 rebounds), while Saoud delivered his customary 20 points in a marquee matchup. Hamilton and Petty matched that total for Gorgan, but the box score tells only part of the story — the decisive possessions belonged to Beirut.
Riyadi Send a Message
In the postgame press conference, Ahmad Farran remained measured, but the message was clear. Winning on the road “is never easy,” and doing so “away from home always matters,” especially in a venue like Azadi against a team that seemed in control. “My players showed character and personality under pressure. The small details made the difference,” he said, also referencing the team’s determination to respond after the setback in Astana.
From a competitive standpoint, the win is invaluable. It puts Riyadi back on track after the Kazakh defeat, hands Gorgan their first loss of the season, and reasserts the perceived hierarchy in West Asia. Symbolically, it sends a reminder to everyone — Astana included — that the title will once again have to be wrestled away from the Yellow Castle.
What’s next? A New Year break, followed by a trip to Damascus to face Al Wahda on January 9, while Gorgan will host La Sagesse two days earlier. And if whispers began after Astana suggesting Riyadi were no longer feared, the silence that fell over Azadi Arena when Gyokchyan’s jumper dropped felt like a definitive answer: in West Asia, the throne may be contested — but it is far from vacant.
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