In a landmark moment for UAE basketball, Dubai Basketball marked their first-ever ABA League playoff appearance with a dramatic 86:85 win over Slovenia’s Cedevita Olimpija. The one-point thriller, held before a near-capacity crowd at Coca-Cola Arena, gave Dubai a 1–0 lead in the best-of-three Quarter Finals series.
Unrelenting Battle Keeps Fans on Edge
From the opening whistle to the final seconds, both teams battled relentlessly, with neither able to build a substantial lead. Head coach Jurica Golemac had anticipated a fierce contest, describing the Slovenian side as “a very physical team” in his pre-game remarks — and the match delivered just that.
Momentum swayed with nearly every possession. Although Cedevita Olimpija threatened to take control late in the third quarter — briefly pulling ahead by nearly 10 points — a defensive lapse from Dubai seemed to shift the game. However, roared on by 5,000 passionate fans, the home side rallied once again. Their persistence paid off in a final stretch that saw the crowd erupt as Dubai closed out a sensational comeback win.
“This was a real playoff game. We had everything,” said Coach Golemac post-game. “We were down three times and kept coming back. We never gave up, despite all the problems and everything that happened.”
Star Performances Power Comeback
American guard Nate Mason set the tone with an early jump shot and continued to drive the team forward, finishing with 18 points and five assists. His composure and playmaking earned him Man of the Match, tying as top scorer with team captain Klemen Prepelič.
“There was no moment where we thought we were out of this,” said Prepelič after the game. “It was all about passion and hard work. We’ve worked all season to earn this home-court advantage — and tonight we played with pride. The fans were incredible, and I think that energy pushed us. Everyone’s fighting for each other, and that passion showed on the floor.”
Road Ahead: Opportunity to Close Out Series in Slovenia
Dubai Basketball now heads to Ljubljana for Game 2 on May 16, with hopes of closing out the series and advancing to the ABA League Semi-Finals. A victory would seal their historic playoff run, while a loss would bring the deciding Game 3 back to Coca-Cola Arena on May 20.
“We protected our home court, which we earned throughout the season,” Coach Golemac emphasized. “Now we’re going there to finish it.”