Dubai Basketball secure dominant win in Croatia

Dubai Basketball secure dominant win in Croatia
Former NBA star Davis Bertans scored 17 points in Dubai Basketball's win over Croatia's Cibona (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 28 October 2024
Follow

Dubai Basketball secure dominant win in Croatia

Dubai Basketball secure dominant win in Croatia
  • The 102-74 victory against Cibona was the new team’s first triple-digit performance in the ABA League

DUBAI: Dubai Basketball have registered their first triple-digit performance with a 102-74 thrashing of Cibona on the road, to take their ABA League record to 5-1.

Dubai Basketball’s head coach, Jurica Golemac, could not have asked for a better performance as they dominated the game from tip-off to the final buzzer in Zagreb on Saturday.

After Ahmet Duverioglu converted both his free throws in the first 13 seconds, the visitors never looked back, closing out the first quarter with a healthy 35-17 advantage.

Dubai are now one of only a few teams to score over 30 points in a single quarter of play this season.

Cibona struggled without their starting point guards, Roko Rogic and Kreso Radovcic, and seemed to lack the star power needed to slow down Dubai’s offense.

By the time the third quarter ended, Dubai held a huge 81-52 lead and continued to pour on the offense, crossing the 100-point barrier late into the final quarter thanks to a JaCorey Williams two-pointer in the paint.

This marked the first time in the franchise’s young history that they would eclipse the century mark.

Williams, who scored double digits in three of six games this season, would leave Croatia ranked second in the ABA League’s “Points in the Paint.”

Former NBA star, Davis Bertans, put up a game-high of 17 points, doing most of his damage from beyond the arc, shooting five of eight (62.5 percent) from three-point territory.

At Saturday night’s conclusion, Bertans ascended to second in the ABA League for three-point shots made, trailing only Split’s Jordano Antonio.

Thirdy Ravena was stellar in over 10 minutes of action, recording his first steal, assist, and rebound of the season.

Thirdy, who has quickly emerged as a fan favorite in Dubai, kept intense pressure on Cibona’s offense, playing a major role in holding them to just 74 points.

Dubai Basketball are now tied for second in the ABA League standings, behind Partizan Mozzart, who they will face on Sunday, Nov. 10.

Golemac praised his team. “I congratulate my players for playing really well. We achieved what we came for, played a great game and now we are going to analyze what we can do better and move on to the next game.

“Our players understand that every move and every possession is important and they all share the same vision of wanting to not only win but also be competitive in each game. As a coach, it’s a pleasure to be working with them.”

Dubai Basketball are again on the road next weekend when they travel to Montenegro for game seven against Studentski Centar Derby on Saturday, Nov. 2.

They return to the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Sunday, Nov. 17, to take on KRKA.


Salah-inspired Liverpool beat Man City to open up 11-point Premier League lead

Salah-inspired Liverpool beat Man City to open up 11-point Premier League lead
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Salah-inspired Liverpool beat Man City to open up 11-point Premier League lead

Salah-inspired Liverpool beat Man City to open up 11-point Premier League lead
  • Just days after exiting the Champions League to Real Madrid, this was another sobering defeat for the dethroned English champions, who are now 20 points adrift of the leaders

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Liverpool took a giant stride toward the Premier League title on Sunday as a 2-0 win over Manchester City opened up an 11-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the table.
Mohamed Salah was again Liverpool’s star performer as he opened the scoring with his 30th goal of the season before setting up Dominik Szoboszlai to double the lead before half-time.
“It is special. Especially when you are in the title race, it is incredible,” said Salah after Liverpool’s first league win at the Etihad for a decade.
“Me and the big guys in the team, we need another title.”
Just days after exiting the Champions League to Real Madrid, this was another sobering defeat for the dethroned English champions, who are now 20 points adrift of the leaders.
So often during Pep Guardiola’s glorious reign, Liverpool have come up just short in English football’s great rivalry of recent years.
However, their time to match Manchester United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles now appears just months away in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
“We work every single day to achieve this and it is three months of very hard work (ahead) to maintain this,” said Slot.
“It is important to understand why we are where we are.”
Arsenal’s shock 1-0 home defeat to West Ham on Saturday had eased the pressure on Liverpool, that had built after dropping points in two of their last three games at Everton and Aston Villa.
A trip to the Etihad has for so long been the stiffest test of all, but City’s defensive frailties were easily exposed and they also badly missed the presence of the injured Erling Haaland in attack.
Liverpool, by contrast, had their talisman fit and firing as Salah took his staggering tally this season to 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 Premier League appearances.
The Egyptian fired the visitors in front on 14 minutes thanks to a brilliantly executed set-piece routine.
Alexis Mac Allister’s corner was flicked by Szoboszlai into Salah’s path and his shot deflected off Nathan Ake past the despairing dive of Ederson.
At the other end, City’s own Egyptian international showed his ability to finish, but Omar Marmoush had strayed offside before being played in by Phil Foden.
City winger Jeremy Doku was skipping past Trent Alexander-Arnold at will, yet the Belgian consistently failed to deliver a telling cross or shot.
Salah was not so forgiving as he raced onto a long ball over the top and teed up Szoboszlai to wrong-foot Ederson.
The final outcome could have been much more humiliating for City had Liverpool had been as accurate on the counter-attack after the break.
Curtis Jones had a third goal ruled out by a VAR review for offside after Szoboszlai just failed to time his run through the heart of the City defense.
Ederson was forced into a stunning save from Luis Diaz and only a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Abdukodir Khusanov denied Szoboszlai a second.
Marmoush scored a hat-trick in last weekend’s 4-0 win over Newcastle and remained a lively threat as he flashed another effort across the front of Alisson Becker’s goal.
But City lacked the end product to make nearly 70 percent possession count.
Despite an eighth league defeat of the season, Guardiola’s men remain in fourth and will be confident of securing their place in the Champions League next season with a top-five finish likely to be enough.
However, after an unprecedented run of four consecutive titles, City look like yesterday’s team with Liverpool now champions in waiting.


Impressive Bayern beats Frankfurt 4-0 to stay eight points clear of Leverkusen in Bundesliga

Impressive Bayern beats Frankfurt 4-0 to stay eight points clear of Leverkusen in Bundesliga
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Impressive Bayern beats Frankfurt 4-0 to stay eight points clear of Leverkusen in Bundesliga

Impressive Bayern beats Frankfurt 4-0 to stay eight points clear of Leverkusen in Bundesliga

BERLIN: Bayern Munich substitute Serge Gnabry grabbed a late goal to cap a 4-0 win over third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt that consolidated the Bavarian powerhouse’s Bundesliga lead on Sunday.
Gnabry fired the ball through Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp’s legs in the second minute of stoppage time, almost 10 minutes after Jamal Musiala ran past a host of defenders and got a fortunate bounce of the ball before firing it past Trapp for Bayern’s third goal.
Without top scorer Harry Kane, who only played the final half hour or so, Bayern stayed eight points clear of defending champion Bayer Leverkusen with 11 rounds remaining.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany opted against starting Kane, who sustained a facial injury in the draw against Leverkusen last weekend. Altogether he made six changes to the team that drew with Celtic 1-1 in the Champions League playoffs on Tuesday, with Bayern veteran Thomas Müller leading the attack.
Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitiké had the best chance early on after a mistake from Hiroki Ito, before Musiala had Bayern’s first opportunity cleared off the line.
The home team dominated proceedings and duly took the lead through Michael Olize before the break.
Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich had to go off injured just before the goal, after clutching the back of his left thigh.
Ito was left free at a corner to score the second goal in the 61st. It was the Japan defender’s first goal for Bayern.
Leipzig’s Champions League qualification hopes were dealt a blow earlier Sunday in a 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Heidenheim.
It left Freiburg fourth in the last place for Champions League qualification, followed by Mainz, ahead of Leipzig on goal difference.
Stuttgart had the chance to move above Leipzig with a win at Hoffenheim in the late game Sunday.


Every game ‘pressure’ as Bangladesh face make-or-break Champions Trophy clash

Every game ‘pressure’ as Bangladesh face make-or-break Champions Trophy clash
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Every game ‘pressure’ as Bangladesh face make-or-break Champions Trophy clash

Every game ‘pressure’ as Bangladesh face make-or-break Champions Trophy clash
  • Bangladesh must beat New Zealand or they will be eliminated from semifinal contention
  • New Zealand, winners of 2000 Champions Trophy, opened their campaign with Pakistan win

RAWALPINDI: Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons admits every game in the Champions Trophy “is hard and full of pressure” as the Tigers face a make-or-break clash with formidable New Zealand in Rawalpindi on Monday.
After India defeated Pakistan on Sunday, Bangladesh must beat the Black Caps or they will be eliminated from semifinal contention.
New Zealand, winners of the Champions Trophy in 2000, opened their campaign with victory over hosts Pakistan while Bangladesh lost to India.
If New Zealand win on Monday they qualify for the semifinals from Group A alongside India.
“It’s the top eight in the world and you expect every game to be hard and full of pressure,” said Simmons, a former West Indian all-rounder.
“New Zealand have been playing well but tomorrow is a new day so we will try and make sure that they don’t play as well as they have been.”
Bangladesh are sweating on the fitness of 39-year-old batsman Mahmudullah who missed the India game with a calf injury.
“He (Mahmudullah) has to do a fitness test and then we’ll know after practice today whether he’s fit enough. He is important for us,” said Simmons of a player who has made 5,685 runs from 238 matches since his ODI debut in 2007.


Saudi Arabia hosts 27th GCC Golf Championship in Jeddah

Saudi Arabia hosts 27th GCC Golf Championship in Jeddah
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Saudi Arabia hosts 27th GCC Golf Championship in Jeddah

Saudi Arabia hosts 27th GCC Golf Championship in Jeddah
  • Teams from Kingdom, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman competing

JEDDAH: The 27th edition of the men’s GCC Golf Championship and the 16th edition of the youth event got underway on Sunday at the Royal Greens Golf Club in Jeddah, bringing together top players from across the Gulf nations.

Teams from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman are competing in the tournament.

The event highlights the rapid growth of golf in the region and serves as a testament to the Gulf’s increasing prominence on the international golfing stage.

This year’s championship coincides with Saudi Arabia’s Foundation Day celebrations, bringing together high-level sports competition and the Kingdom’s rich history and achievements.

The tournament’s opening ceremony, which was attended by key sports officials and representatives from the Gulf’s golf federations, featured traditional performances and a grand entrance parade, with each nation displaying its flag in a show of regional unity.

Abeer Al-Johani, the director of the Saudi Golf Federation, spoke of the importance of hosting the tournament during the national celebrations.

She said: “We are not only celebrating the launch of the GCC Golf Championship, but also reaffirming Saudi Arabia’s commitment to developing this sport both locally and internationally.

“Through nurturing young talent, hosting major tournaments, and fostering a golf culture among future generations, this event serves as more than just a sports competition — it is a platform for strengthening brotherhood and fostering fair competition among Gulf nations.”


Nottm Forest felled by Isak as Newcastle bolster top four bid

Nottm Forest felled by Isak as Newcastle bolster top four bid
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Nottm Forest felled by Isak as Newcastle bolster top four bid

Nottm Forest felled by Isak as Newcastle bolster top four bid
  • Eddie Howe’s side recovered from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s early opener to run riot

NEWCASTLE: Newcastle blew Nottingham Forest away with four goals in 11 minutes as Alexander Isak’s double inspired a vital 4-3 win in the race to finish in the Premier League’s top four.
Eddie Howe’s side recovered from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s early opener to run riot with a first half goal spree at St. James’ Park on Sunday.
Lewis Miley bagged Newcastle’s equalizer, sparking an astonishing spell of dominance as Jacob Murphy put the hosts ahead.
Isak netted twice in less than two minutes to reach 50 Premier League goals and leave Forest in tatters.
The Sweden striker has 19 league goals this season, taking him level with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in second place behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in this season’s scoring chart.
Nikola Milenkovic and Ryan Yates scored for Forest in the second half, but it was too late for an incredible escape act.
After three defeats in their previous four league games, fifth-placed Newcastle are back in the hunt to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top four finish.
The Magpies are behind fourth-placed Manchester City on goal difference, with third-placed Forest just three points above them.
“I’m trying to control my thoughts and stay positive. We won the game and that’s what we needed to do,” Howe said.
“It was a great performance in the first half, then a couple of frailties showed in terms of defending set plays.
“We can reflect on that. There are things we can do better. We pride ourselves on getting the details right.”
Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo added: “In the first half I didn’t recognize our team. In the second half we were much better.
“We made mistakes. It was two totally different halves. We started well and then they just rolled over us.”
Newcastle keeper Nick Pope made his first league start since early December in place of Martin Dubravka.
But Pope was partially at fault as Newcastle gifted Forest the lead in sloppy style after just six minutes
Jacob Murphy lost the ball in his own half as Hudson-Odoi pressured the Newcastle midfielder into conceding possession.
Hudson-Odoi wasn’t closed down quickly enough by Dan Burn and the winger unloaded a powerful low drive that caught Pope out of position as it flashed into the net.
Miley ensured Newcastle’s strong response to that early setback was rewarded in the 23rd minute.
With Forest’s usually rock-solid defense slow to react, Miley had time to control Lewis Hall’s pass inside the penalty area and drill his shot through a sea of legs past unsighted keeper Matz Sels.
Murphy made amends for his earlier mistake to put Howe’s team ahead two minutes after Miley’s equalizer.
Hall’s driving run was the catalyst as the defender took Isak’s return pass and hit a deflected cross that looped over Sels for Murphy to bundle home from virtually on the goal-line.
Newcastle were firing on all cylinders and they struck again in the 33rd minute.
Ola Aina used his arm to block Hall’s cross, conceding a penalty that Isak dispatched past Sels with an audacious lofted effort that left the keeper sprawled on his back as he tried in vain to claw it out.
Forest had no answer to Newcastle’s intensity and it was no surprise when they conceded a fourth just 60 seconds later.
Joe Willock raced unchecked through the Forest midfield and slipped his pass to Isak, whose shot from 12 yards took a deflection on its way past the wrong-footed Sels.
Newcastle eased up in the second half and Milenkovic reduced the deficit in the 63rd minute, flicking Chris Wood’s cross past Pope from close-range.
When Yates steered home in the 90th minute, a nervous hush descended on St. James’ Park, but Newcastle held on by their fingernails.