Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality in NAS Wheelchair Basketball final

Dubai: Dubai Police and Dubai Municipality will play the final of the 13th Nad Al Sheba Wheelchair Basketball Championship after winning their respective semi-finals in emphatic fashion on Monday night.

Held at the Dubai Club for People of Determination halls, the first semi-final between Dubai Police and Dubai Courts, Group A table-toppers, started on an intense note, with both teams displaying strong defensive tactics.

Dubai Police, riding on their young shooter Mohammed Taha Yar Mohammadi’s quick movements and sharp passes, raced to 17 points against Dubai Courts’ eight in the first quarter. Taha continued his scoring spree to help Dubai Police secure a 34-18 lead at the end of the second quarter.

“It’s a proud moment for me to help the team reach the finals. It is my first time playing a NAS Wheelchair Basketball event. The competition is decent, and some teams are playing well. I am excited to be part of the event,” said Mohammed Taha, who trains at Al Thiqah Club in Sharjah.

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In the second semi-final, Group B table toppers Dubai Municipality reached the final with a commanding 38-16 win over Road and Transport Authority.

Dubai Municipality, propelled by R. Jassem’s 17 points, continued their usual tactics and relied on their younger players to control the game.

Veteran Mohammed Al Zarooni, who has been playing in the NAS Championship since 2015 and has featured in seven finals — winning three — is hoping Dubai Municipality can lift the title on Wednesday.

While stressing that fitness will be the key to winning the NAS Wheelchair Basketball title, Al Zarooni said the aim will be to commit fewer fouls in the final.

Speaking about the semi-final against RTA, he said: “The match was intense and we tried to follow our tactics from the beginning. We conceded the first point and they scored well from outside the zone. Our main aim was to play hard and press man-to-man. After that, we made them struggle to play the full match. They need fitness to play man-to-man for the entire game.

“Because of the age factor, the match became slow. Thereafter, the team appeared tired and that made the difference in the score.”

On the strategy for the final match against Dubai Police, he added:

“We already played against Dubai Police in the league game, and we defeated them by 15 points. We will follow the same strategy tomorrow. We have to stop the main player, Mohammed Taha. He is a fantastic player.

“The final will be four quarters, and we will have lots of chances, penalties, and opportunities to regain control of the match. We have to stay focused and commit fewer fouls. I told my players not to rush — stay focused, stay calm, and follow our strategy.

“Our main aim will be to make the Dubai Police team get tired. So, fitness will be the key to winning the title.”

On this year’s competition, he said: “This year has been the most powerful NAS competition because we have over 10 Category A players and many national team players — two from Thailand, two from Iran, four from Egypt, and two from Oman. Hopefully, it will be a great final match tomorrow.”

The final of the 13th NAS Wheelchair Basketball championships will take place on Wednesday.