Dubai Basketball eased past Budućnost VOLI in the semi-finalsLast updated: May 22, 2026 | 11:482 MIN READDubai are on the brink of earning a place in the ABA League finals Dubai: Dubai Basketball beat Budućnost VOLI 104–90 in Game 1 in Zenica to move closer to the ABA League Finals, taking a 1–0 series lead despite playing away from home again after the series relocation.It has been a challenging week for Dubai Basketball, who travelled from the UAE back to Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country that has served as the team’s temporary host over the past two months. Despite the disruption and uncertainty surrounding the semi-final series, the team showed composure and maturity beyond its experience at this level.Despite only being in their second season in the ABA League, Dubai have rapidly risen to the top tier of competition and are now widely viewed as strong contenders for the championship title.Dubai Basketball seized early control of the contest with a dominant first-half performance at both ends of the court. They went into halftime leading 59–36 after delivering one of their most complete offensive and defensive displays of the season.Džanan Musa paced the team with 22 points, while McKinley Wright IV contributed 18. Bruno Caboclo made a major impact as well, scoring 11 straight points in the second quarter to help push Dubai Basketball’s lead past the 20-point threshold.Dubai Basketball Head Coach Aleksander Sekulić praised the team’s collective effort and mentality after the victory. “We really had amazing momentum, an amazing first half offensively and defensively,” said Sekulić.“Overall, I think all the players who came on the court gave us the energy that is needed for these kinds of games.”The Dubai Basketball head coach also highlighted the impact of Bruno Caboclo during the team’s dominant second quarter. “He was super important. Not only in the stats - his presence, his size, his ability to score in different ways, and also defend and protect the rim."Dubai Basketball will now travel to Podgorica, Montenegro for Game 2 on Monday May 25, where the team will have the opportunity to secure a place in the ABA League Finals.Rob is an experienced sports reporter with a focus on digital publishing. He holds both an undergraduate and master’s degree in sports journalism and has hands-on experience in presenting and commentary. Rob has previously worked in the communications teams at Premier League clubs Everton and Brentford FC. While football is his main passion, he enjoys all sports and loves sharing his enthusiasm with anyone he meets.Related Topics:Get Updates on Topics You ChooseUp Next