Dubai Basketball came agonizingly close to another EuroLeague victory, but a tense final minute at the Roig Arena ended in disappointment, as Valencia edged out a narrow 80–78 win in Round 8 of the competition.

Balanced First Half

Dubai Basketball opened the game with confidence, moving the ball well and finding quality looks at the rim. The first two quarters were tightly contested, with neither team managing to build a meaningful lead. At halftime, Dubai Basketball held a slight advantage (41–38), thanks to the efforts of Filip Petrušev and Boogie Ellis, who combined for consistent inside-out scoring.

Petrušev Impresses Again

Serbian forward Filip Petrušev continued his strong form for Dubai Basketball, delivering 17 points, 3 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 assists in 30 minutes on the floor. His energy and versatility on both ends of the court kept Dubai Basketball competitive deep into the game, although his impact lessened in the closing stretch as Valencia’s defense tightened.

Dramatic Final Quarter

Valencia found new momentum in the fourth quarter, led by an inspired performance from Cameron Taylor, who scored 10 of his 19 points in the final period. Despite that, Dubai Basketball refused to back down. Dwayne Bacon and McKinley Wright made key plays to keep the game within reach, pushing the contest into a thrilling final sequence.

With just seconds remaining, Bacon had a chance to put Dubai Basketball ahead from beyond the arc but couldn’t connect. A foul on the ensuing rebound gave Dubai Basketball one final opportunity with 0.3 seconds on the clock, but Davis Bertans’ desperate three-point attempt fell short, sealing the victory for the home side.

Alongside Petrušev’s standout performance, Boogie Ellis led Dubai Basketball with 18 points, while Bacon contributed 10 points.