Head coach Irhad Tinjak dedicates victory to Dubai as UAE’s sole representatives dominate European youth competition, capping unbeaten run with 69-53 final win.
DUBAI — The Dubai Basketball U-18 Elite team have been crowned champions of the Basket Cup Sarajevo 2026, achieving a remarkable victory in their first-ever appearance at the tournament, which ran from April 3-5.
Representing the city of Dubai, the squad delivered a series of statement performances against some of Europe’s top young talents. As the only team from outside Europe in the competition, Dubai Basketball U-18 Elite entered the event determined to showcase the emirate’s growing influence on the global basketball stage.
Head coach Irhad Tinjak dedicated the win to Dubai and praised his team’s resilience and spirit.
“After four days of competition, we are proud to be crowned the 2026 Basket Cup Sarajevo champions,” Tinjak said. “This victory means a lot to everyone at Dubai Basketball, and we are honoured to represent both the club and the UAE. In difficult moments, we stayed together and played for Dubai.”
Dubai set the tone early in the group stage with a series of commanding victories:
- 133-22 win over KK Graficar Ludberg U-18
- 109-23 triumph against Ilirija Ljubljana U-18
- 73-40 victory over Scuola Basket Miky Mian U-18 (adjusted from original 40-73 for clarity)
The team carried their momentum into the knockout rounds, defeating Maribor Mladi U-18 103-53 before overpowering Murska Sobota U-18 75-26 in the semi-finals.
In the final, Dubai Basketball faced Ras Beograd U-18 and secured a convincing 69-53 victory to lift the trophy. Montenegro’s Luka Malovic led the team with composure and confidence on the biggest stage, delivering a personal tournament-high of 21 points in the championship game.
