TEHRAN - Al Riyadi of Lebanon submitted another defensive-oriented outing in shackling the erstwhile unbeaten Shahrdari Gorgan 95-60 on Thursday to move one win away from repeating as FIBA WASL-West Asia League champion.

The visiting side from Iran were averaging a potent 94.9 points per outing at the Stade Nouhad Nawfal, heading into the best-of-3 title series, but got held to easily the fewest points they mustered this season that eventually led to their first loss after winning its first eight matches.

Al Riyadi will look to close it out in Game 2 on May 1, Wednesday, at the Azadi Basketball Hall Tehran as the affair shifts to Iran.

Thon Maker has seemingly found his niche with the crew as he top-scored in the victory with 20 points on 72.7-percent field goal shooting, including a 3-of-4 clip from beyond the arc, alongside 7 rebounds and a block in a turnover-less outing for a 24 efficiency.

American point guard of Shahrdari Gorgan Will Cherry is optimistic about Match 2 against Lebanese basketball team Al Riyadi.

“Very disappointing. We knew what type of team we're going against, the defending champs; what type of atmosphere it would have been,” Cherry said.

“The beauty of us we have another game. We have another game to redeem ourselves,” said the 32-year-old in the postgame presser.