Dubai Basketball Falls to Real Madrid after Dramatic Overtime Battle in Euroleague SuperCup

13 hours ago

13 hours ago

Dubai Basketball Falls to Real Madrid after Dramatic Overtime Battle in Euroleague SuperCup

2026-09-19T00:00+04:00

Dubai Basketball pushed Real Madrid all the way in a thrilling EuroLeague SuperCup semi-final at Etihad Arena, falling 98-95 after overtime in a 45-minute battle against one of Europe’s most decorated teams.

Dubai came out firing, taking control early with its pace and attacking play to lead 27-18 at the end of the first quarter. The momentum continued into the second, with Xavi Pascual’s side opening up a 12-point advantage at 36-24.

Real Madrid responded before half-time, tightening its defence and cutting the deficit to just one point, with Dubai leading 43-42 at the break.

The game remained closely contested after the interval, with Real Madrid edging the third quarter 22-20 to take a narrow 64-63 lead into the final period.

Neither side was willing to give ground in a dramatic fourth quarter. Dubai regained the lead late, going 88-85 ahead with just 34 seconds remaining, but Real Madrid found a way to level the game at 88-88 and send it into overtime.

The Spanish side held its nerve in the additional five minutes, outscoring Dubai 10-7 to secure a 98-95 victory and a place in the SuperCup final.

Elie Okobo led Dubai with 24 points, while Dwayne Bacon added 19 points and four assists. McKinley Wright scored 12, Tornike Shengelia finished with 11 points and five rebounds, and Mfiondu Kabengele added 10 points.

Thomas Walkup also made his first official appearance for Dubai, contributing four points and three assists.

Despite the result, Dubai showed it can compete with the very best in Europe, leading for long stretches and taking the game all the way to the final possession against a team with decades of European experience.

For Head Coach Xavi Pascual, the game provided another important opportunity to test the new-look roster ahead of the 2026/27 season, with several new additions stepping onto the court alongside returning players.

Dubai Basketball will now face Fenerbahçe in the third-place play-off, with another European test ahead and an opportunity to close out its first EuroLeague SuperCup appearance with a strong performance.