Dubai Basketball returns home after 66 days for ABA League semifinals
It will be an emotional homecoming for Dubai Basketball, their players and fans across the city as they finally return to Coca-Cola Arena to play at last, having spent 66 days away from the city since they arrived in Brazil for the semifinals of this season's ABA League.
The semifinal series against Budućnost VOLI tips off on Wednesday, May 20 with a title up for grabs and history to be made as the team returns.
As regional conflict erupted in February, Dubai Basketball then had to stage all ABA League and EuroLeague home games in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Starting from the team's EuroLeague matchup vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz on March 12, the team played seven home games between Sarajevo and Zenica, turning the away arenas into quasy-homes in a pivotal period of the season.
The team spent over two months living in exile away from Dubai, away from its loyal fans and community while still playing at an elite level of European hoops.
However, the team stayed together for most of the move along each step of the way, enjoying home fans right with them whatever they were up to – holding control on the top ranks of the ABA League Regular Season standings.
Dejan Kamenjašević, Co-CEO & General Manager of Dubai Basketball expressed “We could not be more pleased and thankful to finally come back home to Dubai after spending more than 2 months away. It was a hard time for everyone connected with the club, but we felt great support throughout from the Chairman, our fans, partners and ABA League, Euroleague as well as local leaders who were supporting us to make this return happen.”
We take this opportunity also to sincerely thank people from Sarajevo and Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina) for having hosted us there, feeling never in a better place than at home. It was much appreciated by our players, staff and families. Also a HUGE thank you to KK Bosna for their collaboration, hospitality and support in these last few months.”
The announcement read: "Now we get to return to Cola-Cola Arena for the most important part of the season and our fans once again in Dubai," he added. Everyone is invited on May 20th at Coca-Cola Arena to prepare a special atmosphere for the team and bring the ABA League finals home."
This return is about more than a fixture on the calendar. To Dubai Basketball it is a symbol of grit and the unifying power of sport for a city. The team heads into its home arena once more, after months away from it, with an ABA League Finals berth at stake.
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