DUBAI: AlUla Club on Sunday night kicked off their participation in the FIBA WASL Final 8 2026 taking place in Lebanon with a dominant 96-72 win over Qatar’s Al-Arabi at the Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex.

AlUla entered the tournament with a revamped team after the departure of the likes of Wael Arakji, Thon Maker, and Jonathan Gibson in recent weeks.

The Arabian Leopards raced to a 25-8 lead before finishing the opening quarter 30-10 ahead. They persisted and, at one stage, led by as many as 31 points.

“Yes, it was a statement,” said head coach Izzat Ismail, the FIBA official website reported. “Like, we didn’t come here just to participate. We came here to compete.”

Four of AlUla’s players finished in double figures, with veteran Elijah Stewart tallying 22 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists — all without committing a turnover — to lead the way.

Stewart notched 10 points in the first period, matching the opposition’s total output by himself as he, aided by Mitch Creek and David Michineau, led AlUla’s blistering start.

Creek went on to finish with 22 points as well, including 16 rebounds and two steals. Michineau delivered 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists.

“We were up 30 at one point. I would’ve liked to keep that lead and rest some of our main players. But to come out with such a dominant win is very important,” said Player of the Game winner Stewart.

AlUla will look for back-to-back wins when they take on Sagesse SC on Tuesday, Sept. 29.