BAHRAIN’S Al Hala Fall Short Against Kuwait’s Al Fatat in Arab Club Championship Thriller
In a valiant display of resilience, Bahrain’s women’s basketball team, Al Hala, fell just short in a nail-biting contest, losing 71-78 to Al Fatat SC from Kuwait last night in the 26th Arab Women’s Clubs Championship, currently underway in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Despite the result, Al Hala lit up the court in the third quarter, erupting for 29 points while stifling their opponents to just 12, transforming a four-point halftime deficit into a commanding 65-52 lead heading into the final frame. Powered by Alexa Nicole Hart’s three-pointer and a relentless 18-4 run to end the third, the Bahrainis looked poised for a crucial win.
However, the fourth quarter proved disastrous as Hala managed only six points, allowing the Kuwaiti side to claw their way back. A decisive free-throw from Raneem Elgedawy with three minutes remaining gave Al Fatat a lead they would not surrender. Closing efforts by Laila Behbehani, Elgedawy, and Senegalese import Ndioma Kane sealed the comeback, handing Al Hala their fourth consecutive loss in the tournament.
The tightly contested battle also saw a heroics-laden final minute. After Behbehani gave Fatat a 73-68 edge with 50.5 seconds left, Hala’s Hessa Aljaber responded by sinking three clutch free-throws to bring the game within two. But Al Hala’s hopes were dashed as Fatat’s disciplined play and sharp shooting down the stretch closed out the game.
Despite the heartbreaking outcome, Senegalese standout Yacine Diop posted a brilliant game-high 33 points, showcasing her dominance. Hart supported with 11 points, and Aya Kamali added 10 for the Bahrainis.
On the other side, Elgedawy led Al Fatat with 27 points, while Behbehani contributed a crucial 20.
The defeat effectively ends Al Hala’s chances of competing for a place in the gold medal game. They must now win their final two preliminary round games to stand a shot at qualifying for the bronze medal bout. Their next match is scheduled for today at 5pm Bahrain time against Fuheis SC from Jordan. Following two rest days, they wrap up their preliminary campaign on Thursday at 3pm against another Kuwaiti club, Al Qurain.
This loss follows earlier setbacks to Association du Groupement Sportif Cosider from Algeria, Sharjah from the UAE, and Al Ula, the local Saudi side.
Following the completion of this single round-robin phase, the top two teams will compete for gold, while the third and fourth-placed teams will clash for bronze on Friday.
Team V.DIR-EM-UAE
