Dubai Basketball Clinches Dramatic Comeback Win Over Split, Extends Winning Streak to 11

Dubai Basketball continued their fairytale debut season on Sunday night, pulling off a thrilling late comeback to defeat Croatian side KK Split 87-82 at the Coca-Cola Arena. The victory marked the team’s 11th consecutive win and improved their overall record to 23-5, further solidifying their position as one of the league’s top contenders ahead of the playoffs.

The home side appeared to be cruising toward another dominant performance after a commanding first half. Led by Latvian sharpshooter Davis Bertans, who poured in 25 points with clinical precision, Dubai Basketball stormed ahead early with fast-paced offense and resolute defending.

“Our first half was very, very good,” said head coach Jurica Golemac. “We played with intent, we executed well, and we were in control. But then we thought it was finished — and Split didn’t give up.”

Indeed, the Croatian visitors showed resilience, chipping away at Dubai’s double-digit lead with a strong second-half push. Exploiting lapses in ball movement and missed opportunities by the hosts, Split clawed their way back into the game and even held a brief lead in the final quarter.

“We started to not move the ball, missed a couple of open shots, and played basket to basket,” Golemac admitted. “They got momentum and started hitting tough shots, even with good defense.”

Split’s head coach revealed his halftime message to the team was simple but impactful: “Take control of our lives — the game is in our hands.” His squad responded, pushing Dubai to the edge in front of a tense home crowd.

Sensing the need for a spark, Golemac turned to crowd favorite Nemanja Dangubic in the closing minutes — a move that paid off as the forward’s energy helped turn the tide.

“In the end, I have to give credit to the players,” said Golemac. “We never gave up. It was our defense and the energy from our fans that made the difference.”

With just one home game left before the postseason, Dubai Basketball remains one of the season’s breakout stories. Still, Golemac cautioned against complacency.

“It’s hard to stay at a high level week after week,” he said. “We’ll go back, review what went wrong, and get back to work.”

Dubai’s next challenge comes with growing expectations — and the chance to continue one of the most impressive runs in the league this season.