By Hussain Almaskati. Bahrain's Al Hala suffered their fourth consecutive defeat at the 26th Arab Women's Clubs Championship today, losing 71-78 to Kuwait's Al Fatat in Medina, Saudi Arabia. In a rollercoaster contest featuring seven lead changes and wild momentum swings, Al Hala appeared poised to sn
Bahrain’s Al Hala suffered their fourth consecutive defeat at the 26th Arab Women’s Clubs Championship today, losing 71-78 to Kuwait’s Al Fatat in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
In a rollercoaster contest featuring seven lead changes and wild momentum swings, Al Hala appeared poised to snap their losing streak after building a 13-point advantage in the third quarter. But a disastrous fourth period, where they were outscored 6-26, allowed Al Fatat to storm back and steal the win.
Senegalese standout Yacine Diop continued her strong tournament, recording a 23 point, 13 rebound double-double alongside five assists, three steals and two blocks. But despite her impact, Al Hala couldn’t contain Al Fatat’s Raneem AlGedawy, who posted a dominant 27 point, 24 rebound performance with four assists, two steals and three blocks.
Hala led for over 21 minutes, but their offense sputtered late and their defense had no answers as Al Fatat turned up the tempo. Kuwait’s representatives out-rebounded Hala 56-42 and dished out nearly double the assists (31 to 17), exploiting Hala’s tired legs and inconsistent rotations.
The loss adds to a brutal week for the Bahraini side, who previously fell in close defeats to Algeria’s Cosider (74-76), UAE’s Sharjah (87-88), and Saudi hosts Al Ula (92-100). Now 0-4, Hala face a steep climb to reach the medal rounds, needing wins in their final two games. Jordan’s Fuheis and Kuwait’s Al Qurain are up next, and they’ll need help elsewhere in the standings.
Al Hala return to the court today at 5pm Bahrain time for a must-win matchup against Fuheis. They will then enjoy rest days on Tuesday and Wednesday, before taking on Al Qurain in their final match.
