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Al Wahda (men's basketball)

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Al-Wahda Sports Club
NicknameDamascene Orange (Arabic: البرتقالة الدمشقية)
LeaguesSyrian Basketball League
Founded1928
HistoryAl-Qasioun Sports Club
1928–1972
Al Wahda Damascus
1972–present
ArenaAl Fayhaa Arena
(capacity: 6000)
Al Wahda Club Arena
(capacity: 3000)
LocationDamascus, Syria
Team colorsOrange and White
   
Main sponsorLactomil
PresidentSyria Maher Al-Sayed
Head coachLebanon Marwan Khalil
2023–24 positionSyrian League, 1st of 12
Championships(1) Asian Cup
(2) West Asian Cup
(11) Syrian Basketball League
(7) Syrian Basketball Cup
(1) Syrian Basketball Super Cup
Websitewww.alwahdasport.sy
Al-Wahda active sections

Football
Basketball

Al-Wahda (Arabic: نادي الوحدة الرياضي) is a professional basketball club. It is a part of the Al-Wahda Sports Club, which is based in Damascus, Syria.[1] The team changed its name in 1972 to the name they use today.[2] It is known for being one of the pillars in the sport not only in the capital Damascus, but in all of Syria. Al-Wahda won the FIBA Asia Champions Cup in 2003.[3]

History

[edit]
See also: Al-Wahda SC (Syria)

The team was founded in 1928 under the name Al-Qasioun Sports Club by Ahmed Ezzat Rifai, who was its original founder, being one of the oldest teams in the Arab world, who founded it as a sports team, encompassing basketball.[4]

The club's golden age began in the 1990s, when the team was able to beat both the Aleppo clubs, Al Jalaa and Al Ittihad, and became the SBL champion in the 1994 season.[5] Until the 2003 season, Al-Wahda SC absolutely dominated the domestic scene with 6 Syrian league titles.[5] In the 1999-2004 seasons, they also won the Syrian Basketball Cup.[5]

During its golden era, Al Wahda has established itself mainly at the international level. In the 1998 season, the club debuted in the first year of the West Asian Champions Cup, where it took 4th place. In the 2000 season, the club played for the second time in WABA League, which it managed to win, and advanced to the Asian Cup for the first time.[6][7]

In the 2001 season, the team was able to defend their title in the WABA League and, after advancing to the Asian Cup in a tough competition after winning over Winling Hong Kong, placed third.[6][8] In the 2002-03 season, Al-Wahda SC achieved the greatest success in the history of the club and Syrian basketball. At the FIBA Asian Cup in Kuala Lumpur, after winning the basic group, they advanced to the semifinals, where they defeated Sangmu FC 107:78 and in the final Al-Rayyan SC 96:63.[9] In the following season, the club managed to advance to the Asian Cup after finishing second in the 2004 WABA League, where they won the group and advanced to the quarterfinals. After advancing to the finals, the club failed to defend the title, as it lost to Sagesse SC 70:72.[10]

In 2014, after 11 years, the Wahda SC team won the SBL title after a 79:67 final win over Al-Ittihad.[11] In 2015, Al Wahda defeated Al-Ittihad SC in the final and won its ninth title and the second in a row.[12] In 2017, the club won the Syrian Cup and thus its last title.[5]

The club's latest success is participating in the SBL final in the 2021 season, where it lost to Al Karamah SC 64:79 in the first match, won 74:69 in the second and lost 51:74 in the third.[13][14] In the 2022 season, the team advanced to the Syrian Super Cup final, where it was beaten by Al-Ittihad 52:60.[15]

Home arena

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  • Al-Fayhaa Sports Arena
    Al-Fayhaa Sports Arena

Club rivalries

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The biggest rival of the club is Al-Jaish SC, the biggest city derby in Damascus are playing against each other.[16]

Honours

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Domestic

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  • Syrian Basketball League
    • Winners (11): 1993/1994 - 1996/1997 - 1997/1998 - 1998/1999 - 2000/2001 - 2001/2002 - 2002/2003 - 2013/2014 - 2014/2015 - 2022/2023 - 2023/2024
    • Runners-Up (1): 2020/2021
  • Syrian Basketball Cup
    • Winners (8): 1996 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2017 - 2021
  • Syrian Basketball Super Cup
    • Winners (2): 2022, 1994
    • Runners-Up (1): 2021
  • Damascus Basketball Tournament
    • Third place (1): 2009

Asian

[edit]

Sponsorship

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As of 2022, the main partners of the club are Cham Wings, Syria Gulf Bank, Lactomil (men team) and Dermexcel (women team).

Current roster

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Squad for the 2021–2022 Syrian Basketball League season:[17]

Al Wahda roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name
PF 0 Syria Mohammed Otabashi
SG 3 Syria Ajwad Elias
G 4 Syria Ala'a Edelbi
SF 5 Syria Yousef Manna'a
SG 7 Syria Abdullah Al-Halabi
G 8 Syria Magd Harbasha
C 10 Syria Amer Al-Sati
SF 12 Syria Omar Edelbi
G 13 Syria Sharif Al-Osh
C 14 Syria Manar Al-Hamad
C 23 Syria Hani Adrebi
C 28 Turkey Kemal Canpolat
Head coach

Serbia Nenad Krdzić

Assistant coach(es)

Syria Ahmad Halfawy

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured
Updated: 23 May 2022

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Past rosters

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  • 2010-2011:
Number Player Position Height (cm) Age
4 Syria Rabie Hashem SF 188 22
5 Syria Omar Karkoukly PG 175 29
6 Syria Souliman Dreeby SF 198 25
7 Syria Hozifa Al Maleh SG 185 24
8 Syria Majd Arbasheh SG 178 20
9 Syria Muhammad Kahatt SG 188 23
10 Syria Sharif Al Sharif (c) SG 188 32
11 United States Adam Zahn PF 203 27
12 Syria Yervent Jakerjian C 202 31
13 Syria Sharif Al Esh PG 187 21
14 United States Nicholas Zachery SG 191 31
15 Syria Hani Dreeby PF 198 20
TBD Syria Yousef Mannaa SF 189 19
TBD Syria Muhammad Oudabashy PF 195 18
TBD United States Ricky Clemons PG 180 30
TBD Syria Tarek Ali Moussa C 207 29

Transfers

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Transfers for the 2021-22 season:[17]

Notable players

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.


Head coaches

[edit]
  • Syria Hady Darwish (2006–2012)
  • Syria Rateb Sheikh Najeeb
  • Belarus Gennadi Samarskiy
  • Nigeria Frederick Onika

Club presidents

[edit]
  • List of Al Wahda presidents since 1974:
Period President
1974–1976 Ahmed Al-Sharbaji
1976–1982 Hamad Al-Numan
1982–1986 Muntaz Malas
1986–1988 Ahmed Al-Sharbaji
1988–1990 Salim Daas
1990–1994 Salim Daas
1994–1996 Salim Daas
1996–1997 Ahmed Bitar
1997–1998 Ahmed Al Homsi
1998–2001 Muntaz Malas
2001–2003 Khaled Haboubati
2003–2004 Safwan Nizamuddin
2004–2006 Khaled Haboubati
2006–2008 Khaled Haboubati
2008–2009 Fouad Mahfoud
2009–2019 Ahmed Qutrash
2019–2021 Maher Al-Sayed
2021–2022 Anwar Abdel Hai
2022–present Maher Al-Sayed

Season by season

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Season Tier League Pos. Syrian Cup Syrian Super Cup Asian competitions Pos.
2013–14 1 SBL 1st –
–
 WABA Cup QF
2014–15 1 SBL 1st –
–
 –
–
2015–16 1 SBL 3rd –
–
 –
–
2016–17 1 SBL Champions
–
 –
–
2017–18 1 SBL –
–
 –
–
2018–19 1 SBL 3rd Semifinalist
–
 –
–
2019–20 1 SBL
–
 Semifinalist No Championship
2020–21 1 SBL 2nd 1st round No Championship
2021–22 1 SBL 3rd Champions 2nd –
–

References

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  1. ^ "Al Wahda Damascus". asia-basket. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Syria foundation dates". RSSF. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Al Wahda Damascus History". asia-basket. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  4. ^ نادي الوحدة السوري... شعبية جارفة وتاريخ عريق Archived 3 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ a b c d "Al Wahda SC History". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  6. ^ a b "WABA Champions Cup - Roll of Honor" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-08-22.
  7. ^ ABC Champions Cup 2000
  8. ^ "FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2001". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  9. ^ "FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2003". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  10. ^ "FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2004". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Syrian Basketball League 2013-2014". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Syrian Basketball League 2014-2015". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  13. ^ Bushra Dabin/ Mazen Eyon (12 July 2021). "Al-Karama beats al-Wahda in the first round of men basketball final league". Syrian Arab News Agency. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Syrian Basketball League 2020-2021". goalzz.com. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Syrian Basketball Super Cup". goalzz.com. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Al-Wahda team qualifies to the final round of the Basketball League". Syrian Arab News Agency. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Al Wahda, Current roster season 2021-2022". asia-basket. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
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