Kuwait National Women come out with a Big Win

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait (October 17, 2008) - The Lady Patriots women's basketball team, of Camp Patriot, Kuwait, played the Kuwait National Women's team in the Zone 1 Gym at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Oct. 17.

The game, arranged by Host Nation Affairs, Area Support Group-Kuwait, was a way to continue to build upon relations between the U.S. military and Kuwait.'The game is part of our Good Neighbor program to build good will,' said Lt. Col. Rodney P. Rose, director, Host Nation Affairs. 'It's a way for us to say thank you to the Kuwaiti government for having us here.

Before the start of the game, Rose and the ASG-KU commander, Col. Christopher K. Hoffman, welcomed the guests and spoke of how important the day's event was for both the U.S. military and Kuwait.'This is an example of international sportsmanship,' said Hoffman. 'It's a monumental event.'After the welcome, a gift exchange took place between the command and the Kuwait team as a display of their appreciation.Once the game officially started, the stands were filled with cheering servicemembers and a small group of Kuwaiti local basketball fans in support of the event. Although a majority of the fan base was made up of servicemembers, the support for the teams was evenly distributed. All through out the game, the lively crowd cheered whenever either team scored a point.
The women played two, 20-minute periods and at the end of the first period, the Kuwait National Women's team held an 11-6 lead against the Lady Patriots.The Kuwait Women's team continued to lead the game during the second half, but not without a fight from the Lady Patriots who, during the last few minutes of the game, gained several points reducing the Kuwaiti lead.However, the Kuwait National Women held on to their lead and came out victorious, winning 26-22.

'It was a great game,' said Mariam Al-Ameeri, Kuwait National Women team. 'The [Lady Patriots] played good, I'm proud of our girls and I really want to come back.'Despite their loss, there were no hard feelings from the Lady Patriots. Members of both teams remained in good spirits while chatting with each other and posing in pictures with fans who attended the game.After the excitement and the crowd died down at the gym, the teams joined together for dinner in the Zone 1 dinning facility.A dinner that Seaman Nicole S. Joyner, starting forward and co-captain with the Lady Patriots, said she was looking forward to because it would give her a chance to sit down with the Kuwait women and learn more about them and their culture.

The game between the Lady Patriots and the Kuwait National Women proved that basketball can be used for more than a means to demonstrate sports showmanship, but it can also serve as a means to build bonds between people and cultures.

SOURCE:USARCENT/CFLCC