The Dubai basketball team has made history by reaching the semifinals of the ABA League for the first time after defeating Slovenia's Cedevita Olimpija 85-76 in the decisive Game Three of the quarterfinal series.

The match took place recently at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

The team, participating in the ABA League for the first time, is set to face Serbia's Partizan, one of the prestigious clubs in Europe.

The first game will be held in Belgrade on Monday, followed by the return match in Dubai on Thursday.

Dubai opened the quarterfinal series with a narrow victory at home, winning 86-85. However, they faced a loss in the second game in Slovenia, succumbing to Cedevita Olimpija 89-94, which led to a tie in the series and necessitated a tiebreaker match, ultimately decided in Dubai's favor.

The Dubai team displayed a strong performance throughout the key match, establishing their rhythm and securing an offensive advantage with a shooting accuracy of 48.2% compared to Cedevita's 40%.

The team capitalized on quick passing, pinpoint shooting, and effectively exploited defensive gaps in their opponent’s setup.

Coach Jurica Golemats praised the athletes' performance, emphasizing that mental readiness and high fitness levels on the court were significant factors contributing to their victory.