Al-Wahda active sectionsFootballBasketball
Al-Wahda () is a professional basketball club. It is a part of the Al-Wahda Sports Club, which is based in Damascus, Syria. The team changed its name in 1972 to the name they use today. 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.
History
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.نادي الوحدة السوري... شعبية جارفة وتاريخ عريق
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. Until the 2003 season, Al-Wahda SC absolutely dominated the domestic scene with 6 Syrian league titles. In the 1999-2004 seasons, they also won the Syrian Basketball Cup.
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.
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. 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. 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.
In 2014, after 11 years, the Wahda SC team won the SBL title after a 79:67 final win over Al-Ittihad. In 2015, Al Wahda defeated Al-Ittihad SC in the final and won its ninth title and the second in a row. In 2017, the club won the Syrian Cup and thus its last title.
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. In the 2022 season, the team advanced to the Syrian Super Cup final, where it was beaten by Al-Ittihad 52:60.
Home arena Al-Fayhaa Sports Arena: 1976–present
Club rivalries The biggest rival of the club is Al-Jaish SC, the biggest city derby in Damascus are playing against each other.
Honours Domestic Syrian Basketball League Winners (13): 1993/1994 - 1996/1997 - 1997/1998 - 1998/1999 - 2000/2001 - 2001/2002 - 2002/2003 - 2013/2014 - 2014/2015 - 2022/2023 - 2023/2024 - 2024/2025 - 2025/2026 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 FIBA Asia Champions Cup Winners (1): 2003 Runners-Up (1): 2004 Third Place (2): 2001 - 2002 WABA Champions Cup Winners (2): 2000 - 2001 Runners-Up (1): 2004 Dubai International Tournament Third place (1): 2011
Sponsorship As of 2022, the main partners of the club are Cham Wings, Syria Gulf Bank, Lactomil (men team) and Dermexcel (women team).
Current roster Squad for the 2021–2022 Syrian Basketball League season:
Past rosters 2010-2011: Number Player Position Height (cm) Age4 Rabie HashemSF188225 Omar Karkoukly PG175296 Souliman DreebySF198257 Hozifa Al MalehSG185248 Majd ArbashehSG178209 Muhammad KahattSG1882310 Sharif Al Sharif (c)SG1883211 Adam ZahnPF2032712 Yervent JakerjianC2023113 Sharif Al EshPG1872114 Nicholas ZacherySG1913115 Hani DreebyPF19820TBD Yousef MannaaSF18919TBD Muhammad OudabashyPF19518TBD Ricky ClemonsPG18030TBD Tarek Ali MoussaC20729
Transfers Transfers for the 2021-22 season:
Joining Ala'a Edelbi from Al-Jaish SC Omar Edelbi from Al-Thawra SC Hani Adribe from Al-Jaish SC Chris Crawford from SLAC Mohamed Hdidane from US Monastir Omar Abada from Al-Ittihad Jeddah
Leaving Al Hakam Abdullah to Al-Jaish SC Tarek Aljabi to Al-Karamah SC
Notable players
Head coaches Hady Darwish (2006–2012) Rateb Sheikh Najeeb Gennadi Samarskiy Frederick Onika
Club presidents 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 2021–2022Anwar Abdel Hai 2022–present Maher Al-Sayed
Season by season SeasonTierLeagueSyrian CupSyrian Super CupAsian competitions 2013–141 SBL1st– WABA Cup 2014–151 SBL1st––2015–161 SBL 3rd––2016–17 1 SBL Champions –2017–18 1 SBL – –2018–191 SBL3rdSemifinalist –2019–201 SBLSemifinalist No Championship2020–211 SBL2nd1st roundNo Championship2021–221 SBL3rd Champions 2nd–
References
External links Unofficial Fan Site and Forum Asia-basket