Dubai Basketball opened its 2026–2027 ABA League campaign in stellar fashion, securing a commanding 85-70 away victory over Perspektiva Ilirija on Sunday evening at the Tivoli Sports Hall in Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, as part of the regular season’s second round.
The Emirati club asserted its dominance from the opening tip, closing the first quarter with a 25-15 lead. Dubai then maintained its momentum through the second frame, extending its advantage to 20 points by halftime at 47-27. The visitors’ lead peaked at 25 points (44-19) in the 19th minute, allowing Dubai to firmly take control of the contest early on.
Despite a surge and improved performance from the hosts in the final period, Dubai managed its lead wisely to seal a comfortable 15-point victory, launching its defense of the regional title in the best possible way.
Tornike Shengelia stood out as one of Dubai’s key performers, posting 11 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds to earn the game’s highest evaluation rating of 21. Dwayne Mintz also shone with a game-high 20 points, while Kenan Kamenjaš contributed 11 points and 8 rebounds, and Thomas Walkup orchestrated the offense with 6 assists.
Lethal three-point shooting proved to be a decisive factor in Dubai’s victory. The visitors drained 13 of 27 attempts from beyond the arc for an impressive 48% success rate, compared to just 6 of 21 (29%) for Ilirija.
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown:
- First Quarter: 25 – 15 (Dubai)
- Second Quarter: 22 – 12 (Dubai)
- Third Quarter: 19 – 15 (Dubai)
- Fourth Quarter: 28 – 19 (Ilirija)
With this convincing 85-70 victory, Dubai Basketball sends a strong statement of intent, reaffirming its full readiness to fiercely defend its competitive edge and pursue top honors throughout the new season.
