Dubai Basketball Hold Off Milan in EuroLeague Clash at Coca-Cola Arena

Dubai Basketball reinforced their home-court strength with a 99-92 victory over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 18 of the EuroLeague on Tuesday, supported by a crowd of more than 5,000 fans at Coca-Cola Arena.

The hosts started strongly, asserting control on both ends of the floor. Canadian center Mfiondu Kabengele and Serbian forward Filip Petrusev dominated the paint early, creating scoring chances near the basket and forcing Milan to adjust their defense. Guards McKinley Wright IV and Dwayne Bacon added speed and penetration, helping Dubai build a double-digit lead and dictate the pace throughout the opening quarter.

Milan struggled to find rhythm in the first period and spent much of the time trailing, allowing Dubai to stretch their advantage to 15 points. Although the visitors stabilized as the quarter progressed, the early deficit proved difficult to overcome.

Head coach Jurica Golemac highlighted the influence of the home crowd after the game. “Congratulations to the fans. We were missing them for sure in the last home game, and they helped us a lot. In the first quarter, we played one of our best quarters this season,” he said. “The next game is at home in three days, so there is no time to rest too much. We need to prepare for that game first. We are not thinking three games ahead — we prepare for every game and try to win every game.”

Milan found a better rhythm in the second quarter, but Dubai responded before halftime. Bacon capitalized on defensive lapses from long range, while Kabengele finished strongly inside, helping the hosts take a seven-point lead into the break.

The final quarter emphasized composure over flair. Milan made several pushes to close the gap, but missed free throws and execution errors halted their momentum. Bacon sealed the win at the free-throw line in the closing two minutes, restoring a double-digit advantage and securing the victory.

Bacon led all scorers with 25 points, while Wright added 19 points and nine assists. Kabengele contributed 17 points, and Petrusev added 13 points and seven rebounds. For Milan, Nemanja Guduric posted 11 points along with seven rebounds and seven assists.

With the EuroLeague win, Dubai Basketball turn their focus to the ABA League, where they remain unbeaten. The team will return to Coca-Cola Arena to face Slovenia’s KRKA in Round 12 of the competition, aiming to extend their domestic dominance and maintain momentum from their European campaign.

The victory underlined Dubai Basketball’s ability to combine home support with tactical execution, reinforcing their reputation as a challenging team to face in front of their fans.