Aleksander Sekulić's Dubai are ABA League champions

Dubai has clinched its first ABA League championship title, defeating Partizan 83-81 in a nail-biting fourth final game to win the series 3-1. The victory marks a significant achievement for the Dubai club, coached by Slovenian national team manager Aleksander Sekulić and featuring player Klemen Prepelič.

The decisive game saw an intense back-and-forth battle. Partizan initially fell behind 2-9 and 4-13 early in the first quarter but managed to narrow the gap to two points by the end of the period. The second quarter was evenly matched, with Dubai holding a slim one-point lead at halftime. The intensity continued through the third quarter, ending 59-60, and the final quarter remained a tight contest.

With just a minute left, Dubai took an 81-79 lead. Partizan's Bruno Fernando tied the score at 81-81 with 37 seconds remaining. However, former Partizan player Aleksa Avramović sealed the victory for Dubai with a successful free throw with 14 seconds left, making it 83-81. Partizan missed their final opportunity to extend the game, as their last-second shot failed to convert.

Isaac Bonga and Sterling Brown were Partizan's top scorers with 16 points each. For Dubai, Aleksa Avramović scored 15 points, and Mfiondu Tshimanga Kabengele added 14. Klemen Prepelič had a quiet offensive game, missing all five of his three-point attempts and finishing with two assists and one rebound in 17 minutes.

Dubai's path to their first final in only their second ABA League season included a semi-final victory over Montenegro's Budućnost (2-1). The defending champions, Partizan, advanced by decisively beating Crvena zvezda 2-0 in their city derby.