EL: Thrills for Zvezda and Dubai, nightmare night for Partizan in EuroLeague action

It was a dramatic night of EuroLeague basketball for AdmiralBet ABA League representatives, as Crvena zvezda Meridianbet and Dubai Basketball celebrated thrilling victories, while Partizan Mozzart Bet endured a heavy defeat on the road.

In Belgrade, Crvena zvezda Meridianbet pulled off a heart-stopping win over Virtus Bologna, edging their Italian rivals 90:89 in a game that went down to the very last possession. The hero of the night was Jared Butler, who scored the decisive basket with under 20 seconds remaining on the game clock to put the home side back in front.

However, Butler’s clutch bucket was only part of the story. Codi Miller-McIntyre, arguably Zvezda’s best performer on the night, sealed the win with an outstanding defensive play in the final seconds. With Virtus looking for the last shot, Miller-McIntyre played excellent defense on Carsen Edwards, forcing him into a tough, off-balance attempt that missed at the buzzer, sparking celebrations inside the arena.

Meanwhile in Istanbul, Dubai Basketball triumphed on the road in dramatic fashion against Anadolu Efes, winning 90:86. The hosts were clinging to a narrow 88:86 lead when Jordan Loyd found himself wide open for a potential game-tying three-pointer in the final moments. His shot, however, did not fall.

Moments later, McKinley Wright IV stepped to the free-throw line and calmly knocked down two shots to seal the win and cap another memorable EuroLeague night for Dubai Basketball.

On the other hand, Partizan Mozzart Bet suffered one of the heaviest defeats in club history, as they were completely outplayed on the road by Žalgiris Kaunas, falling 109:68. From the opening tip, nothing went right for the black-and-whites, who struggled on both ends of the floor and were unable to find any rhythm throughout the game. It was a night to forget for the Belgrade side, who will be eager to put this performance behind them as quickly as possible.

Following tonight’s results, Crvena zvezda Meridianbet improved to 10-7, Dubai Basketball moved to 8-9, while Partizan Mozzart Bet dropped to 6-11 on the EuroLeague standings.

2025/26 EuroLeague, Regular Season, Round 17, Friday, December 19, 2025:

Anadolu Efes – DUBAI BASKETBALL 86:90 (20:17, 17:13, 20:22, 19:28)
Smiths 12, Beaubois 12 | Kabengele 10, Wright IV 17.

ZALGIRIS KAUNAS – Partizan Mozzart Bet 109:68 (28:15, 25:15, 29:18, 27:20)
Francisco 22, Brazdeikis 15 | Washington 17, Fernando 16.

CRVENA ZVEZDA MERIDIANBET – Virtus Bologna 90:89 (23:15, 22:31, 25:24, 20:19)
Miller-Mcintyre 21, Nwora 20 | Edwards 29, Vildoza 16.