Arab News | Dubai Basketball maintain unbeaten start to ABA League campaign

DUBAI: Dubai Basketball continued their strong start to the 2026-27 ABA League season with a 92–85 victory on Sunday over U-BT Cluj-Napoca in Romania, securing their second consecutive win in Group B action at the Btarena.

The result keeps Dubai Basketball unbeaten in the competition, with two wins from two games, while Cluj-Napoca suffered their first defeat of the campaign.

The hosts started strongly, with the opening quarter closely contested before Cluj-Napoca took control in the second period. An effective offensive display allowed the Romanian side to build a nine-point lead, heading into half time with a 45–36 advantage.

Dubai Basketball responded emphatically after the break, turning the game around with a dominant third-quarter performance.

The visitors scored 21 points in the opening six minutes of the period while limiting Cluj-Napoca to just six, overturning the deficit to take a 57–51 lead. Dubai continued to build momentum, ending the quarter ahead 68–59.

A 32-point third quarter proved decisive, with Dubai Basketball combining disciplined offence and strong team play to establish control of the contest.

Despite the host’s attempt to mount a comeback in the final period, Dubai maintained their advantage to secure a seven-point road victory.

Following the game, Head Coach Xavi Pascual praised his team’s determination and resilience, highlighting the mental strength required to overcome a difficult first half.

He noted that Dubai had created several good scoring opportunities before the break but had failed to convert open shots and close-range chances.

The team improved their offensive execution in the second half, scoring 56 points after the interval to complete the comeback.

Pascual also highlighted Dubai’s ability to reach 92 points despite making just five of 22 attempts from three-point range, demonstrating the team’s ability to find alternative scoring options in a challenging away fixture.

Filip Petrusev was named Dubai Basketball’s standout performer, recording seven points, six rebounds and three assists for a performance index rating of 19.

McKinley Wright IV contributed 14 points, while Elie Okobo added 12 points, five rebounds and four assists. Dwayne Bacon also played an important role, finishing with 11 points and five assists.

For the hosts, Cristian Kulamae led the scoring with 19 points, while Jordan Smart added 18 points and six assists. Their efforts, however, were not enough to prevent Dubai Basketball from taking control and extending their unbeaten start to the ABA League season.