‘We never gave up': Dubai Basketball edge out KK Split in last-minute win
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball continues their dream debut season with a last-minute comeback, securing a 87-82 victory over Croatian side Split on Sunday night at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
This secured their 11th consecutive victory, taking their win-loss record to an impressive 23-5. With just one home game remaining before the playoffs, the team has cemented its place as one of the standout teams of the season.
Dubai Basketball delivered a dominant first half, outscoring Split with quick offensive blows and solid defense. Dubai Basketball's 'Latvian Laser' Davis Bertans led the scoring with 25 points, earning the title of the night's hero after a clinical shooting display.
'Our first half was very, very good,' said head coach, Jurica Golemac, after the match. 'We played with intent, we executed well, and we were in control. But then, we thought it was finished, and Split didn't give up. We gave them the chance and the hope that they could win this game.'
With momentum shifting, Dubai's rhythm appeared to falter toward the final minutes of the game. 'We started to not move the ball,' Golemac said. 'We missed a couple of open shots. We played basket to basket, and that's never good. They got momentum, and they were scoring tough shots — even with good defense.'
Split seized the opportunity with a burst of energy in the second half, clawing back from a 12-point deficit and even taking a narrow lead at one point in the final quarter. Their head coach shared his half-time message, telling his players to 'to take control of our lives — (the game) is in our own hands.'
As the game tightened, Golemac made a decisive move, bringing on fan favorite Nemanja Dangubic to help the team from deep in the court. The city's commanding forward responded immediately.
'In the end, I have to give credit to the players,' Golemac said. 'We managed. We never gave up. With defense, we won the game. And with the great help of our fans, they never gave up on us, and they gave us the extra energy when we needed it.'
Reflecting on the team's recent run of success, Golemac said: 'This is the 11th game in a row that we are winning. The last couple of weeks we had easier victories, and I think everyone expected that tonight would be the same — especially after the way the game started. But as I always say, we play for 40 minutes. Not 10, not 12, not even 38. We play for 40.
'It's hard to stay at a high-level week after week,' he said. 'Now we need to analyze what went wrong, look at what we can improve, and get back to work in practice to prepare for the next game.'
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