DUBAI BASKETBALL STRENGTHEN GRIP ON PLAYOFF SPOT WITH WIN OVER SERBIA’S BORAC MOZZART
nabd-alhadath – Ahmed Bin Abdulqader
Dubai Basketball continued to solidify its playoff position with an impressive 98-74 victory over Serbia’s Borac Mozzart, improving their record to 14-5 in the ABA League on Sunday night.
In front of thousands of passionate fans at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai Basketball delivered a dominant performance, showcasing their squad depth and securing another crucial win that places them fourth in the standings.
A total of 11 players found the basket, with Italy’s Awudu Abass leading the way, scoring 14 points and three rebounds. USA’s Nate Mason contributed 12 points and two assists, while team captain and Slovenian star Klemen Prepelic added 10 points and five assists. On the defensive end, Ahmet Düverioğlu and the team’s latest addition, Jerry Boutsiele, made a strong impact — Ahmet grabbing nine rebounds and Jerry securing five.
Families and fans packed the arena for this pivotal Round 19 clash, and they weren’t disappointed. Just 15 seconds into the game, Düverioğlu’s powerful dunk put Dubai Basketball on the scoreboard and sent the crowd into a frenzy. Borac Mozzart briefly led 14-9, but the hosts responded in style, scoring 14 consecutive points to close out the first quarter with a
25-16 lead.
Dubai Basketball maintained their momentum in the second quarter, with French center Boutsiele and Serbia’s Danilo Anđušić finding the basket. The excitement in Coca-Cola Arena reached new heights when former NBA star Davis Bertans nailed back-to-back three-pointers. Nemanja Dangubić followed up with a smooth jump shot, stretching the hosts’ lead to 55-37 at halftime.
Despite an early third-quarter push by Borac Mozzart’s Diante Baldwin, Dubai Basketball stayed in control. Mason answered Baldwin’s efforts with two brilliant three-pointers, while Abass and Prepelic also continued their scoring contributions.
The celebrations continued in the final quarter when Philippines’ star, Thirdy Ravena, thrilled the crowd with a dominant block just seconds into his appearance. Moments later, Dubai Basketball fans rose from their seats as Thirdy drove to the lane between defenders to score on the lay-up, followed by a free throw to complete the three-point play, pushing Dubai’s lead to 92-66 before they sealed the emphatic win.
Dubai Basketball head coach, Jurica Golemac, was pleased with his side’s performance but said there’s still room for improvement for the rest of the season.
He said: “I must congratulate my players as it was very important to get this win against Borac Mozzart. For us, the most important thing was that nobody got injured and I’m satisfied with some things we worked on last week.
“The team is growing, and I’m very satisfied with how we look at the moment. But for sure, this is not yet where we want to be. We still have time until the playoffs, and we need to be at our best in April, towards the end of the league and the start of the playoffs.”
For Abass, he is pleased to be part of a newly-established roster and believes there’s more to come from Dubai Basketball on court.
He said: “I think now we are starting to get better, and we are beginning to understand that if we share the ball and enjoy playing together, we are truly unbeatable—like we were against Crvena Zvezda where we won 107-92. That was, I think, one of our best performances.
“This team has incredible talent, and each player brings their unique skills. We also have a high basketball IQ, which makes it easy for us to play together. I’m happy that we started from zero, and now we are becoming a team that builds its identity every week. That is the most important thing.”
During the half-time break, the future of basketball in Dubai took center stage as young children from Falcons Academy hit the court in an entertaining matchup, showcasing their impressive skills that left the crowd roaring with excitement.
Dubai Basketball are next on the road when they take on Spartak in Serbia on 8th February before returning to Coca-Cola Arena for three back-to-back home games, beginning on 2nd March against Cibona. Tickets for the game can be purchased here.
