Away game against Valencia is ahead of the Dragons

Before the senior team of Cedevita Olimpija lies a challenging away game in Valencia, where they will face the leading team in Group B in the eighth round of the EuroCup regular season. This basketball match between the Dragons and Valencia will be the first sports event in Spain’s third-largest city since the end of … Continued

The senior team of Cedevita Olimpija will take on Valencia Basket in Valencia on Tuesday at 20:30 in the eighth round of the BKT EuroCup. This will be the first sports event in Spain’s third-largest city after the catastrophic floods that hit the Valencia region. Over 200 people died in the disaster, many are still missing, and normal life has come to a halt in the region.

Due to the situation affecting the entire community, Valencia recently postponed two home games, one in the EuroCup and one in the domestic league. Despite this, they enter Tuesday’s game as the favorites, being the only team in the EuroCup still undefeated. The last time Valencia’s players left the court in defeat was on September 28.

Cedevita Olimpija will aim to secure their fifth EuroCup win this season at La Fonteta, hoping to break a five-game losing streak. The Dragons lost three times in the regional league during this period, most recently on Saturday in Zadar, and twice in the EuroCup.

Head coach Zvezdan Mitrović did not travel with the team to Valencia, as he continues to recover from a routine medical procedure for back issues. Brynton Lemar, still recovering from a foot injury, also stayed in Ljubljana.

PRE-GAME STATEMENTS:

“Given our recent form and performances, and considering Valencia’s quality, we certainly aren’t the favorites for Tuesday’s game. Nevertheless, our aim is to give our best and represent ourselves well on the court. Valencia is built to achieve the highest goals in the EuroCup, with some players remaining from previous EuroLeague seasons, so they are well-covered in all positions. Their guards are talented, and their big men are very challenging since they can also score from long range. Their entire team averages over ten three-pointers per game in the EuroCup, and offensive rebounds are critical for them. They play aggressive defense and have players specifically for defensive roles, so we need to adjust to the aggressiveness that awaits us on Tuesday. Given that Valencia has played only one game recently, we might be slightly better in terms of energy. It’s up to us to show what we can do and capitalize on their lack of recent games. I hope our team responds well to recent games, and that we look much better in the upcoming period. The situation in Valencia has definitely impacted the club, and as Chechu Mulero, the sports director, has worked here for years, it affected us too, as we saw how deeply this situation touched him. Everyone in the club sympathizes with those affected by the disaster. It’s good that sports are returning, the fans will come, and we can’t wait to experience the atmosphere,” said the head coach’s assistant, Đorđe Adžić, ahead of the game with Valencia.

“We are expecting an extremely tough match against an excellent Valencia team. Looking at the current standings in our group, Valencia is definitely the best team, so this task won’t be easy. Our opponents have many strengths. They play excellently, especially in defense with high aggression. Offensively, they score many easy points with quick play, shoot frequently from three-point range, and are strong on offensive rebounds. We’re ready, aware of the biggest threats, and I hope we execute our game plan on Tuesday. Valencia itself is in good condition, with no visible aftermath, but we know what happened in the surrounding area. On behalf of the entire team, I offer support to everyone affected, and we hope for the best,” stated Cedevita Olimpija’s captain, Jaka Blažič, before Tuesday’s game in Valencia.

TV BROADCAST:

The game will be broadcast on Sport TV 1, with pre-game coverage starting at 19:45.

WATCHING THE GAME AT TIVOLI SUMMER BAR:

Fans can watch the game between Cedevita Olimpija and Valencia in good company at the Tivoli Summer Bar. A 10% discount on all drinks will be available during the game, and everyone attending will receive a free ticket for the ninth-round game in the regional league against Mega MIS, scheduled for Saturday at 19:00 in Hala Tivoli.

GAME PREVIEW:

Cedevita Olimpija will aim to end their five-game losing streak in Valencia, but the task is challenging since Valencia Basket has yet to lose in seven regular-season EuroCup games. In the Spanish national league, they’ve only lost once in five games, and that was at the season’s start against Manresa.

The Dragons started their EuroCup season with four wins in their first five games, but two recent losses have them tied with Turk Telekom in the standings, although the Turkish team won their head-to-head in the third round in Ankara.

In the AdmiralBet ABA League, Cedevita Olimpija has been struggling, holding only two wins from eight games, with the Dragons unable to move up from the lower half of the table. Their last four games have all been losses, the most recent on Saturday against Zadar in the legendary Jazine Arena.

Last season, Valencia played in the EuroLeague and entered this EuroCup season strongly, defeating Hapoel Jerusalem, Hamburg, Cluj, Umano Reyer, Turk Telekom, and most recently, Aris in Thessaloniki. The sixth-round game against Lietkabelis was postponed due to the catastrophic floods, but they managed to win in Greece with a tight 63-59 result, despite thoughts likely being back in Spain.

Tuesday’s opponents for the Dragons have four players averaging double-digit points in this EuroCup season. Semi Ojeleye is their top scorer, averaging 15.5 points per game, followed by Matthew Costello (11.7), Jean Montero (10.8), and Xabi Lopez-Arostegui (10.5). Valencia currently has the highest points-per-game average in the EuroCup, with 93.2.

Since 2019, Cedevita Olimpija and Valencia have met twice in the 2021/22 regular season, with both wins going to the team from Ljubljana.

BKT EUROCUP, REGULAR SEASON ROUND 8

Pabellon Fuente De San Luis (Valencia, Spain), Tuesday, November 12, at 20:30:
VALENCIA BASKET – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA (TV broadcast on Sport TV 1)

LOOKING AHEAD:

After their trip to Valencia, the Dragons will face Mega in the ninth round of the AdmiralBet ABA League. The match against the Belgrade club, which eliminated Ljubljana in the playoffs quarterfinal last season, will take place on Saturday at 19:00 in Hala Tivoli. Tickets are already available at vstopnice.olimpija.com, and entry for children under 15 is free. Cedevita Olimpija’s next EuroCup test will be on November 28, when they welcome German club Hamburg to Stožice.