Dubai’s recovery falls short at Fenerbahçe

Dubai had brought the game back to 61 all with less than five minutes remaining in Istanbul on Friday, giving themselves a chance to leave their first EuroLeague away fixture of the season unbeaten. Fenerbahçe instead finished with a 15 to 5 run, securing a 76 to 66 victory and leaving Xavi Pascual with a defeat whose final margin concealed how recently the result had been in doubt.

The loss follows home wins over Real Madrid and Barcelona, leaving Dubai with two victories from their opening three games. Those results at Coca Cola Arena had offered an encouraging start to their second EuroLeague campaign, particularly the narrow 78 to 77 success against Madrid. In Istanbul, they again reached the closing stages with the outcome open, but this time there was no winning finish to add to the record.

Getting that far had required a substantial recovery. Dubai scored the opening six points before Fenerbahçe took control of the first quarter, which ended 26 to 14. The gap was still 15 points during the second period before Dubai reduced it to three at the interval. At 42 to 39, a game that had threatened to become considerably more difficult was within reach again.

Mamadi Diakite contributed free throws, a three pointer and a dunk during the comeback. The third quarter then brought little separation, with Fenerbahçe taking it 13 to 12. Dubai’s handling of the ball was less reassuring: after just three turnovers in the first half, they committed another three in the opening three minutes of the second. They nevertheless remained close enough for Elie Okobo to help bring them level late in the fourth.

Marcus Bingham finished with 20 points for Fenerbahçe, making six of his seven field goal attempts, including four three pointers. Wade Baldwin added 14 and Braxton Key 12. For Dubai, Okobo led the scoring with 18, while Dwayne Bacon and McKinley Wright each supplied 12 and Diakite added 10. Mfiondu Kabengele finished with five points and 12 rebounds, after scoring 21 against Barcelona on Tuesday. Four Dubai players reached double figures, but only five more team points followed the late equaliser.

Pascual said after the game that Dubai had lacked sufficient toughness, lost control in the final four minutes and shot poorly on attempts worth two points. That gives his review a clearer starting point than the result alone: the coach identified both the late stages and the shooting across the game as areas where his team fell short.

It is worth keeping those issues together. Better execution near the finish might have changed the outcome, but improved shooting earlier could also have reduced the amount of ground Dubai had to recover. A game tied so late invites attention to the final possessions. Pascual’s comments suggest the preparation for the next one must take account of the full evening, including the periods when Dubai allowed themselves a much smaller margin for error.

The win over Barcelona on Tuesday offers a useful comparison. Dubai had turned a 25 to 23 first quarter deficit into a 52 to 37 halftime lead, winning the second period 29 to 12. They eventually prevailed 94 to 87. Across the two games, a strong recovery before the interval changed their position significantly, although against Barcelona it provided a lead large enough to withstand Barcelona’s second half recovery.

Kabengele was central to that home victory, scoring 21 points on eight successful field goal attempts from 11, including all three of his attempts from distance. Wright and Bacon added 14 apiece. The Barcelona result showed what Dubai could achieve when a productive quarter was followed by enough scoring to protect the advantage. Friday supplied a different test, with the lead still to be earned after the deficit had been erased.

Pascual had already spoken after Barcelona about lapses in concentration and energy, along with defensive rebounding and managing fouls. Those concerns were present in victory, which is useful context for how this first league defeat should be received. There was work to do before the visit to Istanbul. The loss makes that work more visible, without establishing that every weakness identified on Tuesday caused what happened on Friday.

Three games remain a limited basis for judging Dubai’s prospects. The opening wins deserve their place in the assessment alongside this defeat, and one away result cannot yet establish a pattern. What the schedule has provided is an early contrast between winning at home and the demands of securing a result elsewhere. Dubai’s next opportunity to improve their EuroLeague away record will come later; their immediate attention turns to another competition.

On Sunday, October 4, they visit Ilirija at Tivoli for their first ABA League game of the season. The game starts at 10pm Dubai time. They enter the campaign as the reigning ABA champions, giving the trip significance of its own beyond any response to Fenerbahçe. The opening of that title defence requires a quick change of focus after their first three EuroLeague regular season games.

The next EuroLeague game brings Crvena Zvezda to Coca Cola Arena on Thursday, October 8, at 8pm Dubai time. It offers Pascual another home date and a chance to apply what Istanbul exposed. Dubai have already shown they can recover from a difficult start. The next step is to make that recovery count when the game is still available to win, as it was at 61 all on Friday.