Dubai Basketball, also known as Dubai BC, began their ABA League journey with an exciting 86-84 victory over defending champions Red Star of Serbia at the Coca-Cola Arena on Sunday.
Playing in front of more than 4,000 fans, Dubai BC made a strong impression in their debut. The game was a tense back-and-forth battle, with both teams exchanging leads throughout. Dubai held a narrow advantage after every quarter, leading 28-16 after the first, thanks to a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Awudu Abass.
Despite Red Star capitalizing on a few mistakes, Dubai BC bounced back, heading into halftime with a 50-42 lead. The game remained close in the final quarter, with a three-pointer from captain Klemen Prepelic helping maintain Dubai’s lead. Ultimately, they held on for a narrow two-point victory.
Nate Mason led Dubai’s scoring with 18 points, while Abass contributed 17 and Prepelic added 16.
The victory marks a promising start for Dubai BC in the ABA League.