MEDINA (Saudi Arabia) - DeMarco Dickerson saved Sharjah SC from the jaws of defeat to gain a measure of payback against Al Ula Club, 101-100, in the 2025-26 FIBA WASL-Gulf League on Tuesday night.
The UAE men's team star fired 29 points, none bigger than the four-point play he converted off a Wael Arakji foul with 4.9 seconds left to erase a 97-100 deficit that silenced the Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hall.
Arakji tried to atone for it by taking matters into his own hands but his attempt at the game-winner missed, and the visitors would erupt in jubilation as they went on to exact vengeance against the Arabian Leopards.
It could be remembered that Ula dealt Sharjah a 104-78 beatdown for a rousing league debut last October 14, that's why it couldn't get any sweeter for the latter to have given their foes a dose of their own medicine.
"This is just the start for us," said Dickerson, who shot 57.9-percent from the floor and also collected 5 rebounds and 12 assists plus two steals to net an efficiency of 38. "We're just working as hard as we can."
Also coming through massively in the victory was Glenn Robinson III, who finished with a team-best 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists as the former NBA veteran helped his side keep in step with the opposition.
Mahmoud Alsawan provided ample support with 12 points, with Ahmed Albreiki chipping in 9 points as the tandem was also crucial during the final period, doing their part to prevent Al Ula from breaking away.
"I think we lost close to 30 [last time] and coming into this game, for me, I did not want to lose like that again. I think all of the guys felt the same way," offered Robinson. "This was a good bounce-back win."
Wasted by the loss was yet another Herculean effort by both Arakji and Jonathan Gibson in carrying Al Ula. The former FIBA Asia Cup MVP produced a game-high 35 points while his backcourt partner made 32.
The two had actually led the supposed finishing kick when they powered an 8-3 run toward a 96-90 lead with 1:39 remaining but Sharjah were simply too determined not to allow the past from happening once more.
Arakji even appeared to have iced the game when a perfect trip to the line gave themselves the 100-97 lead with 16.1 seconds remaining, only to turn from hero to goat as his foul led to the game-winning four-point play.
"We had two options; we can’t just have one choice. If they didn’t score prior, DeMarco was going to go for a two-pointer. But he went for the three," recalled Sharjah head coach Abdul Alhosani of Dickerson's call.
"And he’s not used to doing that. He’s a fast player who usually goes to the basket. But it was meant to be for him to take that shot in that way," the veteran bench tactician furthered. "It was not easy."
Both teams now tote identical 2-2 records in Group B following the result.
FIBA