Do or die game against Dubai Basketball on Friday in Stožice

Cedevita Olimpija’s basketball players will strive to secure a crucial victory in the second game of the quarterfinal series against Dubai Basketball on Friday at 6:00 PM in Stožice, aiming to level the series and force a decisive third game in Dubai. Tickets for the game are still available.

Following an intense start to the AdmiralBet ABA League playoffs, where Cedevita Olimpija narrowly lost to Dubai Basketball in the first game in Dubai (85:86), it’s time for the second act of the quarterfinal series! The Dragons return to their home Arena Stožice, where they will attempt to tie the series on Friday at 6:00 PM and bring the series back to Dubai for a decisive third game.

The Ljubljana team showed resilience in the first matchup, fiercely competing against the favored opponent, but Dubai snatched the victory in the final moments. Now, the Green-Orange squad has a chance to demonstrate their true strength with the support of their home fans. Team spirit, focus, and support from the stands will be key, so you’re invited to fill Stožice and join the Dragons in pursuit of an important win!

Due to the limited number of parking spaces in the Stožice garage, we recommend that all visitors arrive at the game on time, at least 60 minutes earlier than usual, using public transportation. With a game ticket, you can ride Ljubljana city buses for free three hours before and three hours after the game.

If you choose to arrive by car, please park in the nearby parking lots (Žale I, Žale II, Žale III, Žale IV, Žale V, Kranjčeva, and Gosarjeva). The garage at Stožice Arena will be open until the limited number of spaces is filled.

TICKET PURCHASE:

Tickets for the game are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com, Eventim Slovenia, and at all Petrol gas stations across Slovenia.

The ticket office and arena gates will open from 4:30 PM onward. The NLB “Fast Entry” will again be available, allowing faster access to the Stožice arena for visitors who present an NLB bank card before entering.

TV BROADCAST:

The game will be broadcast on Arena Sport Slovenia 1 and Kanal A. The studio coverage will begin at 5:30 PM on Arena and at 5:40 PM on Kanal A.

FAN ZONE:

In the Cedevita fan zone, you can immerse yourself in the world of the Dragons, enjoy fun activities at the Woop! Slovenia corner, test your accuracy at the Spar Slovenia pong, sample delicious dairy products at the Ljubljanske mlekarne sampling corner, and participate in prize games with great rewards at the Telekom Slovenia corner. For the youngest fans, there will be a dedicated area with a mini basketball hoop, coloring books, face painting, and books, while The Sole Cleanic will ensure fans’ sneakers are spotlessly clean.

The atmosphere during the game will be even more electric! In the Heka Supplements prize game, fans will compete for €1,000 with basketball shots, while the Cedevita prize game will require guessing the number of balls and Cedevita products for prizes. Spar Slovenia will challenge fans with free throws, and Zavarovalnica Triglav will set up an obstacle course for skill challenges. During halftime, there will be a special presentation of young prospects from the U14 and U16 teams, who won the national championship titles in the 2024/25 competitive season.

PRE-GAME QUOTES:

“We let the win slip away in the first game due to unforced errors in the closing moments. The players gave their all, but Dubai has the edge in experience in such close games. On Friday, energy will be key. I hope the fans show up in large numbers, as their support from the stands will be crucial. Dubai is an excellent team that plays top-level basketball. In defense, we need to fight, play organized, and prevent our opponent from getting offensive rebounds, fast breaks, and easy baskets. If we succeed, we can compete with them on equal terms. But we need our sixth player—the fans—to give us that extra boost,” said the head coach of the Green-Orange team, Zvezdan Mitrović, ahead of Friday’s game in Stožice.

“It’s a shame we didn’t win the first quarterfinal game against Dubai Basketball, as I believe we were the better team and deserved the victory. But that’s basketball. We still have a chance to bring the series back to Dubai, which is our big goal. Friday is an important day and a decisive game. The support of the fans will be key. We want a win to bring the quarterfinal series back to Dubai and try to advance to the semifinals. I hope the atmosphere in Stožice on Friday will be fantastic again. We’ll give our all to win, and the fans’ support always makes the game easier. I hope Stožice will be full on Friday,” said Andrija Stipanović, who successfully returned to the court after a knee injury in the first quarterfinal game of the regional league.

“This is a do-or-die game. We were close to winning in Dubai, so we’re going all out on our home court. We have one day to regroup and another to thoroughly prepare for the opponent and analyze our last matchup,” said Gregor Glas, Cedevita Olimpija’s top scorer in Tuesday’s second quarterfinal game of the national championship, ahead of the clash in Stožice.

“We want to present ourselves in the best possible light in front of our home fans on Friday. In Dubai, the game was decided in the final seconds, and if our last shot had gone in, we could have celebrated a win. I expect the arena to be packed with fans, and I’m looking forward to a great game where we aim to secure a victory,” said Danilo Tasić, Cedevita Olimpija’s top scorer in the Coca Cola Arena, ahead of Friday’s game.

GAME PREVIEW:

The first game of the AdmiralBet ABA League quarterfinals in Dubai between Dubai Basketball and Cedevita Olimpija was thrilling until the final second. The hosts narrowly won 86:85, taking a 1:0 lead in the series.

Dubai took an early lead in the first quarter (13:5), but Olimpija tied the game at 18:18, trailing by one point at the break (21:20). In the second quarter, Jaka Blažič’s three-pointer gave them the lead (22:20), and the Dragons pulled ahead by nine (43:34), but Dubai closed the gap to 45:43 by halftime. In the third quarter, the Dragons led 65:57, but Dubai narrowed it to 66:65 before the final quarter. In the fourth, Ljubljana held the lead, even by seven points (76:69), but Dubai persisted. With just under two minutes left, the hosts led 84:80. Danilo Tasić’s shots brought Cedevita Olimpija within one (85:86), but the attack for the win after DJ Stewart’s missed shot was unsuccessful.

For Dubai Basketball, Klemen Prepelič and Nate Mason each scored 18 points, while for Cedevita Olimpija, Danilo Tasić recorded 17 points and Brynton Lemar added 15. Aleksej Nikolić contributed 11 points. An exciting continuation of the quarterfinal series awaits in Stožice.

After the senior team returned to Ljubljana from the United Arab Emirates on Monday, the Ljubljana squad took to the court on Tuesday for the second quarterfinal game of the national championship, convincingly defeating GGD Šenčur (93:75). The Dragons built a decisive lead in the second half, stepping on the gas, pulling away from their opponents, and ultimately celebrating a comfortable victory. The top scorer was Gregor Glas with 21 points, followed by captain Jaka Blažič with one point fewer.

ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE, QUARTERFINALS

GAME 2

Arena Stožice (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Friday, May 16, at 6:00 PM:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – DUBAI BASKETBALL (TV broadcast on Arena Sport Slovenia 1 and Kanal A) [0:1]*

GAME 3

Coca Cola Arena (Dubai, United Arab Emirates):
DUBAI BASKETBALL – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA

*Score in wins. The quarterfinal series is played to two wins.
**Potential third game.

ALREADY PLAYED:

GAME 1

Coca Cola Arena (Dubai, United Arab Emirates), Sunday, May 11:
DUBAI BASKETBALL – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA 86:85 (20:19, 23:26, 21:20, 22:20)
Cedevita Olimpija: Stewart 8, Robinson 10, Jones 2, Radović 3, Nikolić 11, Glas 2, Lemar 15 (5 rebounds), Blažič 6, Beringer 2 (6 rebounds), Stipanović 9, Tasić 17, Daneu.

STATISTICS
PHOTO GALLERY
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
MORE ABOUT THE GAME

LOOKING AHEAD:

The date for a potential third quarterfinal game is not yet known, but it would likely take place early next week. On Tuesday, the Dragons secured their advancement to the semifinals of the national championship, where they will face Terme Olimia Podčetrtek, who eliminated Kansai Helios Domžale 2:0 in the quarterfinals.