Astana continue their journey in the FIBA WASL West Asia League group stage. On Wednesday, 4 February, the team will face Lebanon’s Sagesse at Ghazir Club Stadium. The game starts at 23:45 Astana time.
Astana come into this matchup with a 4–1 record and are firmly in the race for the top spots in the standings, aiming to stay close to reigning champions Al Riyadi. A win would strengthen their playoff position and improve their chances of earning home-court advantage in the knockout stage.
Under head coach Ramūnas Cvirka, the team has hit a strong stretch, winning four games in a row. Their latest result was an impressive 88–73 home victory over Iran’s Shahrdari Gorgan on 30 January at the Saryarka Velodrome.
“Every game matters for us right now because we want to stay near the top of the table heading into the playoffs,” Cvirka said after that win. “That’s what gives you the advantage of playing at home.”
The matchup with Sagesse will be just Astana’s second road game of the WASL season. So far, all of their victories have come on home court, making this trip an important new challenge.
Sagesse have recovered well after a tough start (0–3). They’ve now won two straight, including an impressive 105–91 victory over Al Riyadi — their first win over their rivals since April 2024.
For Astana, Adas Juškevičius leads the team in scoring in WASL, averaging 16.6 points per game. Robert Pan has been a consistent force on both ends, putting up 16.4 points per game and contributing on the boards. Point guard E.J. Day controls the tempo and runs the offence, averaging 8.8 assists.
Sagesse will look to Paris Nicolas Bass, the league’s leading scorer at about 26 points per game. Makur Maker is a major presence inside with 10.5 rebounds per game, while Tony Carr leads the team in playmaking with 4.5 assists on average.
Both teams know how important this game is, and the result could have a big impact on the group standings. Astana will also be hoping to feel the support of their fans on the road as they try to extend their winning streak away from home.
Astana pulled off a thriller in Lebanon, edging Sagesse 104–102 in overtime on 4 February to claim their fifth straight win in the WASL season — and move to the top of the table.
The game in Ghazir was the first stop on Astana’s three-game road trip, and it didn’t get any tougher than this: Sagesse came in as the Lebanese leaders, backed by a packed Ghazir Club Stadium and a loud home crowd.
E.J. Day was outstanding, finishing with 38 points and 9 assists. His biggest moment came with 2.5 seconds left, when he knocked down a tough mid-range jumper from the elbow over the taller Hayat to put Astana in front. With no timeouts remaining, Sagesse were forced into a last-second heave from half-court — but it missed, and the arena fell silent as Astana celebrated an incredible finish.
What made it even more impressive was the comeback. Astana were down by eight late in the game, but stayed composed, forced overtime, and then found a way to close it out.
The win lifts Astana to 5–1 and, for now, puts them ahead of Al Riyadi in the standings. It also continues a strong season against Sagesse — Astana had already beaten them at home earlier in the campaign, 71–62, back in November.
“We knew it was going to be tough — the atmosphere, the opponent, everything,” Day said after the game. “We figured it would come down to the last moments. But if we stuck to the plan, we believed we’d get the result.”
Adas Juškevičius played a huge role as well, posting 24 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. He kept Astana steady in overtime and even put them up 102–99 with 24.4 seconds still on the clock.
Ruslan Aitkali added 13 points and 5 rebounds, while Askar Maidekin had 11 points and 7 rebounds. Astana also set a new season record by knocking down 19 three-pointers — Day and Juškevičius hit 13 of them between them — surpassing the previous mark of 18 threes that Astana had set in their 88–64 win over Al Wahda on 18 December.
Astana’s next challenge is another big one: a matchup with reigning WASL champions Al Riyadi. The game will be played on 11 February at Zouk Mkayel Stadium, starting at 23:45 Astana time.
