Dubai’s basketball team are the new ABA League champions! They managed to pull off a major shock in the Belgrade Arena and capture the regional competition trophy, winning the series 3-1 against the black-and-whites. The decisive blow came from Aleksa Avramović, who converted two free throws with 14 seconds remaining to secure an 83-81 victory!
Everything was decided in an extremely tense finish. With one minute left, the score was tied before Kabengele knocked down two free throws to give Dubai the lead. Bruno Fernando responded half a minute later, tying the game once again.
However, Kabengele grabbed another missed shot by Wright and earned two free throws after securing the rebound. Instead of him, Aleksa Avramović stepped to the line because Kabengele reported an apparent injury. The Dubai guard and Serbian international calmly converted both attempts, while Carlik Jones missed on the other end, sparking celebrations for the team from the Emirates!
The game remained tightly contested throughout its entirety in the Belgrade Arena. Partizan looked far more tense than they had two days earlier, when they led from start to finish and ultimately secured a convincing victory. This time, their three-point shooting was nowhere near as accurate.
On the other hand, Dubai knew exactly what they wanted. Easy and quick points in transition constantly troubled Partizan’s defense, and the team from the Emirates managed to withstand nearly every surge from Joan Peñarroya’s side. Everything pointed toward a dramatic finish.
Dubai opened the game with a 2-11 run, while Partizan looked completely out of rhythm. Sterling Brown appeared extremely unfocused, turning the ball over and missing easy opportunities. After just two minutes, Joan Peñarroya called a timeout, which resulted in a positive response from the black-and-whites.
The Belgrade side quickly got back into the game and significantly reduced the deficit, mainly thanks to Osetkowski and Carlik Jones. They were the key figures in Partizan’s comeback, bringing the team within one possession. In fact, Partizan even had a chance to take the lead on the final possession of the quarter. They failed to capitalize, though, and the visitors held a two-point advantage after the opening period, 21-23.
.@JusAnderson1 elevates for a MONSTER BLOCK! 😱 pic.twitter.com/EK6OpC3xMl
— Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) June 12, 2026
At the start of the second quarter, Partizan did everything possible to finally move in front. But Dubai always found a way to respond with a run of their own. Even when the score was tied midway through the period, Dubai answered with another series of points and went into halftime holding a narrow one-point lead, 39-40.
The third quarter was rather unusual. Partizan managed to take the lead, albeit by the slimmest of margins, before both teams began trading baskets. The back-and-forth battle continued for a long stretch, creating a true seesaw affair and increasing the drama. With it came mounting pressure on the players from Belgrade.
Still, Dubai entered the final quarter with the advantage. It was only a one-point lead, however, at 59-60.
Mistakes continued to pile up in Partizan’s game. Unsportsmanlike fouls committed by Dwayne Washington and Sterling Brown completely disrupted the rhythm of the home side. Dubai capitalized and built a significant six-point lead with seven minutes remaining.
Partizan responded. There was no way this game was going to pass without drama. Far from it, the black-and-whites fought their way back through energetic defense and, with just three minutes left, cut the deficit to a single point. Moments later, Bonga brought the game level once again.
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Source: Telegraf.rs, Foto: Dusan Milenkovic / ATAImages