Clash against Partizan in last game of the year

Basketball players of Cedevita Olimpija are heading to their last game of the 2024 calendar year. On Monday at 7:00 PM, they will face EuroLeague team Partizan Mozzart Bet in the 14th round of the AdmiralBet ABA League regular season.

Cedevita Olimpija’s senior team is preparing for one of the toughest away games of the 2024/25 competitive season. On Monday at 7:00 PM, the Ljubljana team will step onto the court at Belgrade Arena to face EuroLeague team Partizan Mozzart Bet. They aim to confirm their good form from recent games and secure their sixth consecutive victory in the competition against last season’s regional runners-up. The path to success will certainly not be easy, as the team led by head coach Željko Obradović enters the clash with the Slovenian champions riding high from their EuroLeague victory against Fenerbahçe. In this season’s regional league, Partizan has suffered only one loss at home.

The Cedevita Olimpija team traveled to Belgrade without Martinas Geben, who is heading on loan to Girona, where he will remain until the end of the 2024/25 season.

PRE-GAME QUOTES:

“This is a great test to see how we perform against a EuroLeague team that is considered a favorite to win the regional league title and is also aiming for a playoff spot in the EuroLeague. Partizan is a very strong team, against whom we can measure our strength and also take advantage of any weaknesses they might show to create an upset. It’s expected that Partizan, after two losses in competitions, will play at the highest level. For us, it’s a good opportunity to showcase ourselves against a solid defense and very good one-on-one players. We’re heading to Belgrade without pressure, aiming to deliver a good performance,” said Cedevita Olimpija’s head coach, Zvezdan Mitrović, before departing for Belgrade.

“We are aware of the challenging task ahead, but we need to ensure we display team play on the court and stick to our game plan. Everyone must give their all and play with the highest intensity of the season, which is the way we can win this tough game,” added DJ Stewart before the trip to Belgrade.

TV BROADCAST:

The game will be broadcast live starting at 6:50 PM on Arena Sport Slovenia 1 Premium and Kanal A.

GAME PREVIEW:

Partizan entered the new regional season decisively and excellently. In their first 11 matches, they achieved 11 consecutive victories. However, recently, the Belgrade team suffered two losses against direct competitors for the top spots on the standings, Budućnost VOLI and Crvena zvezda Meridianbet.

In their last EuroLeague game on Friday, Partizan defeated Fenerbahçe 90:81 at the Arena. The team started the game strongly, leading 47:38 at halftime and increasing their lead to 15 points in the final quarter. However, the Turkish team managed to slightly reduce the deficit towards the end. Deuane Washington was Partizan’s top scorer with 27 points, securing their eighth win in the EuroLeague out of 18 games this season.

Washington is also Partizan’s top scorer in the 2024/25 regional league season, averaging 13.9 points per game. He is followed by Sterling Brown with an average of 12.2 points per game and Carlik Jones with 11.0 points per game.

Cedevita Olimpija enters the game against Partizan with a streak of nine wins in their last ten matches. In the AdmiralBet ABA League, the Dragons last lost on November 9th in an away game against Zadar. Since then, they have consecutively defeated Mega, Borac, Spartak, Cibona, and most recently SC Derby. The team, led by head coach Zvezdan Mitrović, last took to the court on Thursday, convincingly defeating Ilirija in a slightly changed lineup in the first leg of the Spar Cup quarterfinals at Tivoli.

ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE, 14TH ROUND OF THE REGULAR SEASON

Belgrade Arena (Belgrade, Serbia), Monday, December 30, 7:00 PM:
PARTIZAN MOZZART BET – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA (TV broadcast on Arena Sport 1 Premium and Kanal A)

STANDINGS:

LOOKING AHEAD:

On Thursday, the Ljubljana team will travel to Lithuania to face Lietkabelis in the BKT EuroCup on New Year’s Eve. They will return to their home court on Sunday, January 5th, to host Krka at Stožice Arena at 5:00 PM. As part of Family Day at the Dragon’s Nest, WOOP! Slovenia will join the event, and entry will be free for all visitors. Details about activities for the game against Krka will be revealed in the coming days. Just three days later, an important EuroCup match awaits, as the Ljubljana team will host Greek team Aris at Stožice Arena. Tickets for the match are already available at vstopnice.olimpija.com.