Al-Adeem Women’s Basketball Team Gears Up for Second Match in Gulf Championship

Doha, September 24, 2025:

The Al-Adeem women’s basketball team faced a challenging start to the second edition of the Gulf Women’s Basketball Championship, falling to Kuwait’s Al-Fatat Sports Club with a score of 81-64. The match took place on Wednesday, September 24, as part of the tournament hosted by the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy in Abu Dhabi.

The game showcased intense competition, with Al-Adeem’s players making several attempts to close the gap. However, the experience of Al-Fatat’s squad ultimately secured their victory. Despite the loss, Al-Adeem’s coaching staff, led by Lebanese head coach Rana Bazzazo, expressed optimism, viewing the defeat as an opportunity to refine strategies and tactics for upcoming matches.

The championship features four Gulf teams: Qatar’s Al-Adeem, the UAE’s Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Kuwait’s Al-Fatat Sports Club, and Oman’s Women’s Sports and Cultural Creativity Club. Organized under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Emirates,” and supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the tournament is overseen by Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Academy’s Board of Directors.

Al-Adeem is set to face Oman’s Women’s Sports and Cultural Creativity Club in their second match on Thursday, September 25, at 4:00 PM. On Friday, September 26, they will take on the host team, Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, at 6:00 PM. The tournament follows a single-round-robin format, concluding on Saturday, September 27, with the third-place match at 3:30 PM and the final at 5:30 PM. Teams are scheduled to depart Abu Dhabi on Sunday, September 28.

Al-Adeem’s delegation includes head coach Rana Bazzazo, fitness coach Miless Chdid, physiotherapist Maha Al-Raqiq, and team manager Saria Ranko. The roster features players Alaa Suleiman, Maya Al-Khatib, Nziha Agha, Sama Jasser, Sara Maadid, Tania Al-Tawil, Mona Suleiman, Dana Suleiman, alongside professional players Rebecca Akl from Lebanon and Tina Stevens from the United States.