Dubai Basketball keep title dreams alive with thrilling overtime victory at home
Dubai welcomed Serbian powerhouse Partizan Mozzart Bet to Coca-Cola Arena on Thursday night following a shocking loss in Belgrade in the first leg of the semi-final.
Dubai Basketball kept Partizan on edge with unrelenting momentum and strong defensive tactics.
Hailing Dubai for their response, Partizan coach Zeljko Obradovic spoke about the intensity of playing at home. 'We knew they would try to be aggressive here [in Dubai], and they were.'
Dubai's physicality and determination were evident from the beginning moments of the first quarter. Holding a narrow three-point lead in the second quarter, the team gained confidence as they landed crucial three-pointers, pushing ahead into the second half. However, Partizan quickly retaliated, with American guard Carlik Jones and Belgian international Frank Ntilikina making an early impact and keeping the contest tight.
Leading by example was captain and Man of the Match, Klemen Prepelić. The Slovenian shooting guard has often been praised for his role in the debutant team, but his performance on Thursday night outshone his previous milestones for the team. Making him the night's top scorer, Prepelić contributed 30 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist. A scoreline that only another Dubai Basketball team member came close to – Nate Mason's perfectly executed free throws in the last 14 seconds of regulation time are what equalised the score and forced Partizan into overtime.
Praising the team's resilience, Dubai Basketball head coach Jurica Golemac said, 'I'm very proud. We didn't surrender; we didn't give up. You could see it in the players - the emotions in their eyes. We didn't want the season to end, and that was obvious.'
With over 7,000 fans in attendance, Dubai looked more confident than ever in the extra period. Spurred on by the home crowd, they secured the final points of the night and sealed a crucial win to force a deciding third game in Belgrade on Sunday.
'Our defence was unbelievable today,' Golemac added. 'I had the feeling there were 10,000 people inside — breathing and playing the game with us. They wanted to succeed just like we did.'
Dubai Basketball now head to Serbia for the final semi-final showdown, one step away from a coveted place in the ABA League finals - marking an already historic debut season for the team with a second home win against one of Europe's most decorated clubs.
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