Dubai Basketball's Dominance In ABA League Signals Threat To Rivals

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) {"component":"Story","props":{"story_slug":"aba-league-dubai-basketball-deliver-second-half-masterclass-to-defeat-budunost","story_data":{"id":"51f24cde-4da4-47b0-bcb6-601041ed8d5f","headline":"ABA League: Dubai Basketball deliver second-half masterclass to defeat Budu\u0107nost ","wordcount":395,"seo":{"meta_description":"Dubai Basketball's commanding 78-95 win over Budu\u0107nost in the ABA League Top 8 stage highlights their playoff readiness and strategic prowess, setting sights on the No. 1 spot.","meta_title":"Dubai Basketball's dominance in ABA League signals threat to rivals","meta_keywords":[],"claim_reviews":{"story":null}},"author_name":"Khaleej Times Staff","tags":[],"cache_tags":["s\/7383\/51f24cde","a\/7383\/2297290"],"story_content_id":"51f24cde-4da4-47b0-bcb6-601041ed8d5f","slug":"sports\/aba-league-dubai-basketball-deliver-second-half-masterclass-to-defeat-budunost","linked_stories":{"f9db8fb5-b7f6-4a4e-9e17-c4c7af317bf0":{"author_name":"Khaleej Times Staff","headline":"Dubai Basketball dominates in ABA League as head coach dedicates victory to the city","story_content_id":"f9db8fb5-b7f6-4a4e-9e17-c4c7af317bf0","slug":"sports\/dubai-basketball-dominates-in-aba-league-as-head-coach-dedicates-victory-to-the-city","sections":[{"domain_slug":"","slug":"sports","name":"Sports","section_url":"https:\/\/\/sports","id":85775,"parent_id":0,"display_name":"Sports News","collection":{"slug":"sports","name":"Sports","id":195286},"data":{}}],"hero_image_metadata":{"width":1880,"height":1062,"mime_type":"image\/png","file_size":2611884,"file_name":"Justin-Anderson.png","focus_point":[940,531]},"hero_image_s3_key":"khaleejtimes-english\/2026-03-16\/dgfei3i5\/Justin-Anderson.png","url":"https:\/\/\/sports\/dubai-basketball-dominates-in-aba-league-as-head-coach-dedicates-victory-to-the-city","content_updated_at":1773664125376,"author_id":2297290,"first_published_at":1773664125184,"authors":[{"id":2297290,"name":"Khaleej Times Staff","slug":"khaleej-times-staff","avatar_url":"","avatar_s3_key":"","twitter_handle":"","bio":"","public_email":"","highlighted_name":"","avatar_thumb_image":"","avatar_medium_image":"","avatar_large_image":"","avatar_original_image":""}],"thumb_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2026-03-16\/dgfei3i5\/Justin-Anderson.png?width=200","medium_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2026-03-16\/dgfei3i5\/Justin-Anderson.png?width=400","large_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2026-03-16\/dgfei3i5\/Justin-Anderson.png?width=800","original_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2026-03-16\/dgfei3i5\/Justin-Anderson.png"},"ad66175e-2227-4b9e-9548-b5adfd1dbab9":{"author_name":"Rituraj Borkakoty","headline":"Why Dubai Basketball's rise should worry European giants ","story_content_id":"ad66175e-2227-4b9e-9548-b5adfd1dbab9","slug":"sports\/why-dubai-basketballs-rise-should-worry-european-giants","sections":[{"domain_slug":"","slug":"sports","name":"Sports","section_url":"https:\/\/\/sports","id":85775,"parent_id":0,"display_name":"Sports News","collection":{"slug":"sports","name":"Sports","id":195286},"data":{}},{"domain_slug":"","slug":"local-sports","name":"Local Sports","section_url":"https:\/\/\/sports\/local-sports","id":85783,"parent_id":85775,"display_name":"Local Sports News","collection":{"slug":"local-sports-sports","name":"Local Sports","id":195294},"data":{}}],"hero_image_metadata":{"width":5766,"height":3844,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","file_size":9441345,"file_name":"DB-RMA-301.jpg.jpeg","focus_point":[2883,1922]},"hero_image_s3_key":"khaleejtimes-english\/2026-02-24\/ytq4au7u\/DB-RMA-301.jpg.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/\/sports\/why-dubai-basketballs-rise-should-worry-european-giants","content_updated_at":1771924028849,"author_id":2173911,"first_published_at":1771924028557,"authors":[{"id":2173911,"name":"Rituraj Borkakoty","slug":"rituraj-borkakoty","avatar_url":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2025-07-10\/poy2rmqd\/Screenshot_2025_07_10_at_12_13_29.png","avatar_s3_key":"khaleejtimes-english\/2025-07-10\/poy2rmqd\/Screenshot_2025_07_10_at_12_13_29.png","twitter_handle":"","bio":"Rituraj Borkakoty is Sports Editor and has spent more than two decades writing on his sporting heroes. He also loves an underdog story, so if you have one, share it with him. He would love to bring it to life.","public_email":"","highlighted_name":"","avatar_thumb_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2025-07-10\/poy2rmqd\/Screenshot_2025_07_10_at_12_13_29.png?width=124&height=124&mode=crop","avatar_medium_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2025-07-10\/poy2rmqd\/Screenshot_2025_07_10_at_12_13_29.png?width=400","avatar_large_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2025-07-10\/poy2rmqd\/Screenshot_2025_07_10_at_12_13_29.png?width=800","avatar_original_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2025-07-10\/poy2rmqd\/Screenshot_2025_07_10_at_12_13_29.png"}],"thumb_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2026-02-24\/ytq4au7u\/DB-RMA-301.jpg.jpeg?width=200","medium_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2026-02-24\/ytq4au7u\/DB-RMA-301.jpg.jpeg?width=400","large_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2026-02-24\/ytq4au7u\/DB-RMA-301.jpg.jpeg?width=800","original_image":"https:\/\/imgengine.khaleejtimes.com\/khaleejtimes-english\/2026-02-24\/ytq4au7u\/DB-RMA-301.jpg.jpeg"}},"last_published_at":1774166954306,"subheadline":"D\u017eanan Musa led the scoring effort with 20 points, while Filip Petru\u0161ev added 19 and Mfiondu Kabengele contributed 13 in another balanced offensive performance","alternative":{"home":{},"social":{}},"sections":[{"domain-slug":null,"slug":"sports","name":"Sports","section-url":"https:\/\/\/sports","id":85775,"parent-id":null,"display-name":"Sports News","collection":{"slug":"sports","name":"Sports","id":195286},"data":null}],"publishedjson":[],"owner_name":"Edwin D'Mello","custom_slug":"","push_notification":"","hero_image_metadata":{"width":886,"height":500,"mime_type":"image\/png","file_size":745862,"file_name":"D\u017eanan-Musa.png","focus_point":[443,250]},"entities":[],"published_at":1774166954306,"summary":"","push_notification_title":"","external_id":"","canonical_url":"","hero_image_hyperlink":"","status":"published","hero_image_attribution":"","hero_image_alt_text":"","hero_image_S3_key":"khaleejtimes-english\/2026-03-22\/ady71zor\/D\u017eanan-Musa.png","cards":[{"story_elements":[{"id":"0333576f-2590-42e7-9f03-b04fd2037da4","type":"text","family_id":"6103f021-f1d9-4171-8a9f-c7e25c276fe8","page_url":"\/story\/51f24cde-4da4-47b0-bcb6-601041ed8d5f\/element\/0333576f-2590-42e7-9f03-b04fd2037da4","title":"","description":"","metadata":{},"subtype":"","text":"

Dubai Basketball continued their strong run in the Top 8 stage of the ABA League with an impressive 78-95 victory over Montenegrin side Budu\u0107nost VOLI in Round 4, strengthening their push to finish the stage in first place.<\/p>

Having already secured qualification for the playoffs, Dubai entered the game focused on maintaining momentum and delivering another strong performance away from home. Speaking after the game, head coach Jurica Golemac praised the team\u2019s intensity despite a demanding schedule.<\/p>

\u201cCongratulations to the players. We really showed up today. This was our fourth game in six days, and I was concerned about our energy and intensity and how we would look. But we took it seriously,\u201d said Golemac. \u201cWe stepped on the floor with a clear idea to match the aggressiveness of the opponents. We knew they were going to be aggressive, and our defence was almost perfect. We need to keep going, and I wish them the best in the rest of the season.\u201d<\/p>

Dubai opened the game with excellent energy, storming to an early 9\u20130 run and setting the tone from the opening minutes. Strong defensive pressure and efficient offensive execution helped the visitors control the first quarter, which ended 23-27 in Dubai\u2019s favour.<\/p>

Budu\u0107nost responded in the second period, gradually finding their rhythm and increasing the intensity on both ends of the floor. The hosts managed to turn the game around before halftime, heading into the break with a narrow 44-46 advantage in what had become a tightly contested matchup.<\/p>

Dubai responded immediately after halftime with a dominant third quarter that proved to be the turning point. Showing renewed focus and energy, the team controlled the period 23\u201312 to regain the lead and build a 58-67 advantage heading into the final 10 minutes. Riding that momentum, Dubai continued to impose their rhythm in the fourth quarter, scoring 28 points to close the game in style and seal a convincing 78:95 victory.<\/p>

D\u017eanan Musa led the scoring effort with 20 points, while Filip Petru\u0161ev added 19 and Mfiondu Kabengele contributed 13 in another balanced offensive performance.<\/p>

With four rounds remaining in the Top 8 stage and an 18\u20132 record, Dubai Basketball now continue their push to secure the No. 1 spot as they build momentum ahead of the ABA League playoffs.<\/p>"},{"id":"dbeee9e1-4b30-4332-b045-a706a109ee4d","type":"text","family_id":"35fe2627-e6fb-406f-a4f8-19358d6723f3","page_url":"\/story\/51f24cde-4da4-47b0-bcb6-601041ed8d5f\/element\/dbeee9e1-4b30-4332-b045-a706a109ee4d","title":"","description":"","metadata":

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