Latest news with #ABALeague
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Dubai Basketball keep title dreams alive with thrilling win over Partizan
A game for the books, Dubai Basketball edged out seven-time ABA League champions Partizan Mozzart Bet in Game 2 of the semi-finals – winning the pivotal clash 100:95 in the final five minutes of overtime. 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. Needing this win to keep their league ambitions alive, Dubai Basketball prepared for what would be one of their best games this season. A stark contrast from Game 1 of the semis, 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 Dubai 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, Prepelic 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.
Dubai Eye
2 days ago
- Sport
- Dubai Eye
Dubai Basketball keep title dreams alive with thrilling overtime victory at home
Dubai Basketball have kept their league ambitions alive by edging out seven-time ABA League champions Partizan Mozzart Bet in Game 2 of the semi-finals – winning the pivotal clash 100:95 in the final five minutes of overtime. 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.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Dubai Basketball keep title dreams alive with overtime win against seven-time champions
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball edged out seven-time ABA League champions Partizan Mozzart Bet in Game 2 of the semi-finals — winning the pivotal clash 100-95 in the final five minutes of overtime to square the series. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Dubai welcomed Serbian powerhouse Partizan Mozzart Bet to Coca-Cola Arena on Thursday night after a shock loss in Belgrade in the first leg of the semi-final. Needing a win to keep their league ambitions alive, Dubai Basketball were set for what would be one of their best games this season. In a stark contrast from the first game of the semis, Dubai Basketball kept Partizan on edge with unrelenting momentum and strong defensive tactics. Praising Dubai's response, Partizan coach Zeljko Obradovic spoke about the intensity of playing Dubai at home. 'We knew they would try to be aggressive here (in Dubai), and they were,' he said. Dubai's physicality and determination were evident from the start 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 for Dubai was captain and Man of the Match Klemen Prepelic. 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. Prepelic, the night's top scorer, contributed 30 points, three rebounds and one assist. Only one other Dubai Basketball member came close to these stats, with Nate Mason's perfectly executed free throws in the last 14 seconds of regulation time leveling the score and forcing 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 more than 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 semi-final showdown, one step away from a 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.
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
Dubai Basketball take ABA League semi-final against Partizan to decider following OT win
Dubai Basketball kept their hopes of reaching the ABA League Finals alive with a dramatic 100-95 overtime victory against Partizan on Thursday to take the best-of-three semi-final down to a decider on Sunday. Partizan led by six points with five minutes left and by four with 90 seconds remaining of regulation time. But after Carlik Jones missed a potential game-winner, Dubai clawed their way back to force the game into overtime. Klemen Prepelic, who led from the front with a game-high 30 points, nailed a free throw in OT as Dubai held on to take the series back to Belgrade. An ecstatic Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac said: "I'm very proud. We didn't surrender, we didn't give up. We didn't want the season to end, and you could see that in the players – in their emotions and in their eyes. 'We played against an unbelievable opponent, a very good team. But the job is not done. We've got one more game to play. We need to rest, analyse, and move forward." It was Dubai's second victory over Partizan at the Coca-Cola Arena having also beaten the Serbian team in Round 23 of the regular season. Golemac acknowledged the part the home fans played. 'Last but not least, the fans were unbelievable today – like every game – but tonight it felt like 10,000 people were inside, breathing and playing the game with us. I truly felt that they wanted to succeed just as much as we did.' The game was a rollercoaster from the start. Partizan led in the opening minutes but it was the home side that finished the first quarter strong, taking a 29–23 lead after an excellent three-point shooting, hitting six of their first 10 attempts. Prepelic led from the front with Nate Mason each contributing two triples in the early surge. Despite struggling from deep, Partizan stayed competitive behind the efforts of Duane Washington and especially Frank Ntilikina, who hit three three-pointers without a miss in the second quarter. However, Dubai hung on to a 50–47 lead at half time with Davis Bertans sinking three threes, including one at the buzzer. Prepelic delivered a sterling performance, emerging as a constant offensive threat and one of the key reasons Dubai were able to even the series. The captain hit five shots from three, pulled down three rebounds and got two steals. 'In Game 1, we came in empty,' Golemac reflected on Monday's 102-72 defeat. 'The third game of the quarter-finals [ against Cedevita Olimpija ] was a must-win, and after we won it, we had a let-down [Partizan]. 'We came into the first game with confidence, but we weren't ready – for the fight or for the battle. 'We gave Partizan too much space. We lacked aggressiveness and the energy we showed today. When Partizan gets hot, you can't stop them – they were scoring from all positions. 'We watched the video and analysed it. The good thing about the play-offs is you get another chance. We got ours at home, and in the end, it doesn't matter by how much you wini – t only matters that you put a point on the board and get the win.' Golemac's men will have a massive task when they face seven-time ABA champions Partizan in front of their home crowd at Stark Arena. 'That's great. It's unbelievable. We deserve to play in a full gym, with great fans, against one of the best teams in Europe – for the finals,' Golemac added. 'All season long, our players have approached every game with the right mindset. I'm very proud of how they refuse to surrender. Playing in that kind of atmosphere is a reward for us. 'Motivation will be higher. They'll be under pressure, but we're going there to play the best game of our season.' Partizan coach Zeljko Obradovic said the defeat felt like a lost opportunity but insists his side will be better prepared for the decider in Belgrade. 'We won by 30 points in the last game. This one was very tight. It's obvious they played much better today,' he said. 'We knew they would try to be aggressive here, and they were. In the first half, they scored a lot of three-point shots. In the second half, we tried to cover that, but there were situations where we committed fouls. 'They have great shooters, and they showed that tonight. That was the first difference. If you want to play well against Dubai, you need to defend their three-point shots very well.'
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai Basketball gets overtime victory at home against 7-time league champion Partizan
A game for the books, Dubai Basketball edged out seven-time ABA League champions Partizan Mozzart Bet in Game 2 of the semi-finals – winning the pivotal clash 100:95 in the final five minutes of overtime. 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. Needing this win to keep their league ambitions alive, Dubai Basketball prepared for what would be one of their best games this season. A stark contrast from Game 1 of the semis, 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 Dubai 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
