Dubai Basketball Finishes Fourth in EuroLeague SuperCup Ahead of Home Opener

21 hours ago

21 hours ago

Dubai Basketball Finishes Fourth in EuroLeague SuperCup Ahead of Home Opener

2026-09-19T08:55+04:00

Dubai Basketball concluded its first EuroLeague SuperCup appearance with a 85-77 defeat to Fenerbahçe in the third-place play-off at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Dubai put together another competitive performance against one of Europe’s leading teams, staying within reach of the Turkish side for long periods before Fenerbahçe pulled away in the final quarter.

Dubai opened the game strongly, trailing 22-21 after the first quarter, before Fenerbahçe took a 47-39 lead into half-time. The Turkish side maintained its advantage after the break to secure the 85-77 victory.

Elie Okobo and Davis Bertans led Dubai’s scoring with 14 points each, while Mfiondu Kabengele added nine points and Tornike Shengelia finished with eight.

The result sees Dubai finish fourth in its first EuroLeague SuperCup appearance, having faced two of Europe’s leading teams in Real Madrid and Fenerbahçe over the weekend.

More importantly, the SuperCup provided Dubai with valuable preparation ahead of its third season and second EuroLeague campaign, giving the team the opportunity to test its new-look roster against elite European opposition.

Now, the focus turns to home.

After opening the season on the road in the SuperCup, Dubai Basketball will return to Coca-Cola Arena on Thursday, 24 September, to officially begin its 2026/27 EuroLeague campaign against Real Madrid.

For Head Coach Xavi Pascual, starting the season in front of Dubai’s fans will be an important moment for the team.

“We are going to start the season at home, and this is very important. I hope all our supporters and fans around Dubai will come to the game. I’m sure that there we are going to start to feel at home this season, and that will help us a lot,” said Pascual.

With a new season comes a new chapter for Dubai Basketball — and it begins where the team belongs: at home, at Coca-Cola Arena, with Dubai behind it.

“It’s going to be a tough game against Real Madrid, so together I hope we will achieve this first win,” Pascual added.