Filip Petrusev was one of several players who stood out for the visitors
Dubai defeats downbeat Paris in dazzling display
Informes de partidos
3 Min lectura
Regular Season
Round 24 of 38
Regular Season
Paris BasketballPBB
7999
Dubai BasketballDUB
Overview
l
l
l
w
l
w
l
l
w
l
“We need to set the tone of the game, especially on the road,” Mfiondu Kabengele proclaimed before his Dubai Basketball team met Paris Basketball at Adidas Arena on Thursday.
His teammates followed through on his wish, exploding out of the gates to earn a sizable lead in the opening minutes and never surrendering it, eventually securing the 79-99 victory.
“The guys came prepared,” Kabengele stated afterward. “We knew they were down a couple of guys, but the guys came aggressive in the first quarter, second quarter, second half and we kept applying pressure, which is why we were able to stay in the lead.”
The visitors kept their foot on the gas throughout, widening the margin throughout the first half through intense defense and widely-spread scoring effort, eventually taking a 20-point lead into the break. Though Francesco Tabellini’s men stepped up the effort level in the second half, they couldn’t quite find a realistic avenue into the contest. Dubai moved the ball selflessly and shot fearlessly down the stretch, finally securing the 20-point victory.
Big man Filip Petrusev played the starring role for the road team, adding 9 boards and 3 assists to his 21-point scoring display. The 25-year-old shot a perfect 8-for-8 inside and 9-for-11 from the field, also finishing the game with 33 PIR. He mainly attributed the win to defiant team defense.
“We were aggressive from the beginning, tried to play aggressive defense for the whole 40 minutes,” said Petrusev. “We had to make some tough shots. We were successful for the most part of the game and that’s why we got the win.”
Kabengele also made a significant impact, recording 17 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. However, Dubai’s biggest asset was its excellent team work. As a team, it recorded 26 assists, led by Aleksa Avramovic's 7. Five of Jurica Golemac’s players scored in double figures, overwhelming Paris with highly effective ball movement.
“It was a good team environment, which is something to strive for on a daily basis,” said Kabengele.
Coach Gulemac was proud with his team for harnessing the energy of the Parisian fans and fighting for the win.
“Great success for us,” Gulemac shared. “We respect Paris a lot and know how talented they are. The home crowd’s energy is crazy, but we matched it. The guys were great today, very focused and didn’t give anything for free and that’s why it’s this result.”
With the result, Dubai snapped a two-game losing streak to move to 11-13, earning itself a lifeline in the race for postseason basketball. On the other hand, Paris fell to 7-16 and saw its faint playoff hopes drift further away.
