Dragons secure a victory in Stožice
Cedevita Olimpija’s senior team played its second preseason game ahead of the start of the 2026/27 competitive season on Sunday at Arena Stožice. The Zmaji faced Austrian champions Kapfenberg Bulls, with the game ending in a 100–70 victory for the Ljubljana side. Following their opening preseason game against ECE Triglav, Cedevita Olimpija played its second … Continued
Cedevita Olimpija’s senior team played its second preseason game ahead of the start of the 2026/27 competitive season on Sunday at Arena Stožice. The Zmaji faced Austrian champions Kapfenberg Bulls, with the game ending in a 100–70 victory for the Ljubljana side.
Following their opening preseason game against ECE Triglav, Cedevita Olimpija played its second test of the preseason in Stožice on Sunday. This time, the Ljubljana side faced the reigning Austrian champions, Kapfenberg Bulls. The game provided the reigning Slovenian champions with another opportunity to build chemistry, experiment with different lineups, and continue familiarizing themselves with the team’s system of play.
The Ljubljana team started the game against the Austrian champions, who travelled to Stožice with ten players, in strong fashion. Midway through the first quarter, the Zmaji were already leading 12–2, while Cedevita Olimpija’s advantage grew to 20 points just before the end of the opening period, when Brandon Murray scored to make it 24–4. The Ljubljana side maintained a comfortable lead throughout the remainder of the game, leading by 30 points after 30 minutes of play (79–49), with the final margin also standing at 30 points (100–70).
Jordan Gainey and Matthew Hurt led Cedevita Olimpija with 18 points apiece. Jayce Johnson added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Brandon Murray finished with 12 points.
The Ljubljana team will remain in the Slovenian capital until Thursday, when the squad will move to Kranjska Gora for a week-long training camp. The Zmaji will also be very active in the coming days, with three preseason games on the schedule. They will first face Laško on Friday, followed by a game against Budućnost VOLI next Sunday. Before returning to Ljubljana, the team will also travel to Udine, where they will face the home side.
POSTGAME STATEMENT:
Jordan Gainey, Cedevita Olimpija player:
“We’ve been working hard since we came together, and we’re improving day by day. We played a good preseason game against a very quality opponent, which showed us the areas where we still need to improve. There are still some things we need to fix, but the important thing is that we take a step forward every day. After two weeks of preparation, I can say that the level of basketball here is very high. I’m very happy to be part of this organization, and I’m really glad that I came here.”
PRESEASON GAME
Arena Stožice (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Sunday, August 30:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – KAPFENBERG BULLS 100:70 (28:6, 18:20, 33:23, 21:21)
Cedevita Olimpija: Murray 12, Cowan Jr. 8 (8 assists), Gainey 18 (5 assists), Can Ustun 4 (6 assists), Houindo 9 (7 rebounds), Blažič 2, Stjepanović, Ciperle 2, Gueye 4 (4 rebounds), Hurt 18, Kirkwood 8, Johnson 15 (9 rebounds).
