Dubai Basketball crush Igokea to stay in title hunt
Dubai: Dubai Basketball continued their relentless push for the top of the ABA League standings with a commanding 97—88 victory over Igokea m:tel on Saturday night. Playing away at Laktasi Sports Hall, the team wasted no time asserting their dominance on Bosnian soil, setting a new single-quarter scoring record for the season.
The win lifts Dubai Basketball to an impressive 24—5 record, keeping them firmly in the race for first place with only one more round before the playoffs. With just one win separating them from Partizan Mozzart Bet and Budućnost VOLI — who have a game in hand — the battle for the league's top spot is still wide open.
Blistering start breaks records
Dubai Basketball exploded out of the gates on Saturday, delivering a first-quarter performance for the record books. The team racked up a staggering 39 points in the opening 10 minutes — the highest-scoring quarter by any team this season — and built a 20-point lead (4:24) by the fifth minute.
The Bosnian side struggled to keep pace and, despite a spirited attempt to claw their way back, were unable to recover from Dubai's blistering start.
'We came into the game with strong focus and executed exactly how we planned,' said head coach Jurica Golemac after the game. 'It's a great feeling, but we know we have to stay locked in and keep building toward the playoffs. The goal is to keep analysing, improving every game, and making sure we're ready for the most crucial part of the season.'
Bertans lights it up early
Leading the charge was Dubai's sharpshooter and ex-NBA star Davis Bertans, who put on a clinic in the first quarter with 19 points, including a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range. He finished the night with 21 points in total, earning the ABA League's Man of the Match honours.
'I felt good out there,' Bertans said after the game. 'My teammates found me in the right spots, and I was able to sink shots early. That gave us momentum, and from there, we just kept going. Now we come back to Dubai with just one more game before the playoffs, feeling stronger and more determined than ever.'
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