KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
Dubai Basketball have achieved the improbable after a baptism of fire of sorts in European basketball's regional elite tournament, the Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA) league.
In just their second year, they etched their names into sporting history when they defeated Partizan Belgrade in the finals to become the 2025-26 season champions. They clinched the best of five finals with a 83-81 victory in the fourth game, the win coming in their second away fixture and far away from the UAE fans.
Friday night's victory made them the first team from the UAE to win a major international league title. Having reached the play-offs in the previous season, Dubai Basketball went all the way to make good on their promise despite a challenging season.
The historic triumph caps a remarkable eight-month campaign in two leagues in which the team competed against some of Europe's most established and respected clubs in the elite EuroLeague while competing at the business end of both campaigns on neutral territory, the cushion of home advantage lost in the chaos of the US-Israel and Iran conflict.
Head coach Aleksandar Sekulić expressed his pride in the team's achievement, saying: "This title means a lot for a club that is only in its second year of existence. We had a great season and this trophy belongs to everyone who was part of this journey: the players, the coaches and all the staff who contributed along the way. They all played an important role in what we achieved together."
He added: "It has been a special season because we spent a long period playing away from Dubai, but the team stayed united and kept fighting until the end. We are proud to bring this title to Dubai and the UAE. This is for our fans and for everyone who supported us throughout the season."
Dubai Basketball's title-winning campaign was built on consistency and dominance across the season. The Dubai side finished the regular season at the top of the ABA League standings and dominated in the play-offs with an overall tally of 29 wins from 33 games, while going unbeaten at their Coca-Cola Arena home the entire season.
That home-court advantage proved decisive in the finals, as they won bothe home legs, putting pressure on their Belgrade rivals to do all the hard work. They came up just short in the third but on Friday night, Dubai Basketball managed to get the result at the final hooter.
The ABA League Finals MVP award was presented to Mfiondu Kabengele, in recognition of his outstanding impact during the Finals series, contributing an average of 15.75 points across four games.
The title represents an unprecedented moment not only for the team, but also for the growth of basketball in the UAE and the wider region.