Al-Adeem Women’s Basketball Team Defeats Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy, Advances to Gulf Championship Final

The Al-Adeem women’s basketball team from Qatar secured a commanding victory against the UAE’s Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy, triumphing 70-44 in the second edition of the Gulf Women’s Basketball Championship. The match showcased an outstanding collective performance and a fierce competitive spirit, with star player Alaa Sulaiman shining brightly, leveraging her extensive experience to steer her team to victory.

This win follows Al-Adeem’s initial setback in the opening round, where they fell 64-81 to Kuwait’s Al-Fatat Sports Club. The team used that loss as a catalyst to refine their tactics, strengthen their defensive and offensive strategies, and enhance team synergy, which was evident in their dominant performance in this latest match. Al-Adeem demonstrated remarkable speed in their offensive plays, precision in passing, and robust defense, allowing them to control the game from start to finish.

Lebanese head coach Rana Bezzazo praised the team’s collective experience and fighting spirit as key factors in the victory, singling out Alaa Sulaiman for her strategic contributions during critical moments.

In another third-round match, Kuwait’s Al-Fatat Sports Club defeated Oman’s Women’s Sports and Cultural Creativity Club 61-45, setting the stage for a thrilling final. Al-Adeem will face Al-Fatat on Saturday to compete for the championship title, while Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy and the Omani team will vie for third and fourth places.

The tournament features four Gulf teams: Qatar’s Al-Adeem, UAE’s Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy, Kuwait’s Al-Fatat Sports Club, and Oman’s Women’s Sports and Cultural Creativity Club. It follows a single-round-robin format, with final matches determining the teams’ rankings.

Al-Adeem’s delegation includes a talented roster of administrative, technical, and medical staff, led by head coach Rana Bezzazo, fitness coach Milis Shadid, physiotherapist Maha Al-Raqiq, and team manager Saria Ranko. The squad features standout players Alaa Sulaiman, Maya Al-Khatib, Nazeha Agha, Sama Jasser, Sarah Maadid, Tania Al-Taweel, Mona Sulaiman, Dana Sulaiman, alongside professional players Rebecca Akl from Lebanon and Tina Stevens from the USA.
Organized with the support of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Emirates,” the championship is overseen by Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Academy’s Board of Directors. This reflects a strong commitment to promoting women’s sports in the region and empowering female athletes in Gulf competitions.