Picking one of the greatest displays in this season’s inaugural EuroLeague campaign, Dubai Basketball made a jaw dropping fourth quarter comeback to defeat Žalgiris Kaunas 65:77 in Round 36 and their play-in hopes remarkably well and truly alive.
Against arguably the toughest team in the competition, Dubai went into the final quarter down 14 points (53:39), their chances of a Top 10 finish on the line. The team responded with an incredible turnaround, outscoring their opponents by 38–12 in the last 10 minutes of play – almost matching what they scored over the sum of the first three quarters.
Dubai Basketball’s head coach Jurica Golemac spoke after the game about his team’s character, and paid tribute to the fans.
“I think we never gave up, and we never lost faith. Defensively I think we played one of the best games of the year. We were locked in. This win, like every win, is for our city of Dubai and for our fans,” Golemac said.
“We know they’re following every game, that they are with us, cheering and giving us all the support and love we feel from here. We are missing them. I know they are missing us and we want to go back home as soon as possible.”
The win was both significant in the standings and historic in context.
By beating Zalgiris Kaunas, Dubai ended a four-game unbeaten streak for the Lithuanian side inside the EuroLeague and established their credentials as one of only a handful of teams to have toppled them both in their arena, Ajax Arena in Vilnius, and at home this season – a mark of Dubai’s burgeoning force on Europe’s grandest basketball stage.
The stakes could not have been higher, with a berth to the play-in tournament still up for grabs. Finishing inside of the Top 10 advances Dubai to Phase II of the tournament, where Galas and Galas (ranked 7th-10th) battle for the other two playoff positions.
Serbian guard Aleksa Avramović was the standout performer, producing several of his best moments in a game-changing fourth quarter. With 12 of his total 15 points in the final period, Avramović pulled the momentum firmly on Dubai’s side and ended as the team´s leading scorer.
Davis Bertans and Bruno Caboclo aided him with their energetic performances on both ends of the floor to help close out a win in front of an estimated 15,000 opposition fans. The trio finished the game with calmness and aggression, keeping Dubai’s high energy until the end of the game.
Dubai Basketball have only two games remaining in the EuroLeague regular season, both coming as home fixtures Ireland Bosnia. They will need victories in both games to help guarantee Dubai’s place in the top 10 of EuroLeague.
Dubai Basketball formerly known as Hyperloop Dubai) is a professional basketball team founded in 2023 that competes in Europe EuroLeague and Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA) League for the 2025/26 season. Under coach Golemac the franchise has built a diverse roster of talent.
The club’s home games are held at Coca-Cola Arena.