Dragons win in their first game against Bursaspor

Cedevita Olimpija celebrated their second consecutive victory in the 7DAYS EuroCup on the road in Turkey. The Dragons beat Frutti Extra Bursaspor with the final score of 104:88 and improved their result in the EuroCup to three wins and two defeats this season.

Cedevita Olimpija defeated the team of the weakened Frutti Extra Bursaspor (which started the match with only eight players in their squad) 104: 88 in front of the empty stands of the Tofas Spor Salon, in the last remaining match of the second round in the Group D of 7DAYS EuroCup. The Dragons, who were given the role of host this time due to the postponement of the October match in Stožice, achieved their third win in the current season of the European competition thanks to the team’s outstanding offensive performance throughout the match. The squad from the Dragon’s Nest will be active again on Wednesday when they will clash with the basketball players from Bursa once again at 18:00. The game will be shown live on Šport TV 1 channel.

Cedevita Olimpija started the first quarter a bit sluggish again, and the team from the west of Turkey gained a temporary lead as a consequence of their high percentage field goals, which the Dragons managed to nullify with a playful performance in the offense in the following minutes. The first quarter ended with a score of 27:26 in favor of the Ljubljana team, and both teams continued to play at a high tempo in the second ten minute period of the game, especially in the attacking half of the floor. Despite the excellent offensive performance of the Dragons, highlighted by the attractive plays of Mikael Hopkins-Kendrick Perry connection and the impressive display of Jaka Blažič, the Slovenian representatives in the 7DAYS EuroCup did not manage to break away from the fighting Turks. At half time, Jurica Golemac’s squad was up by four points.

Bursaspor was no longer able to follow the rhythm of the Dragons’ game in the second half. Cedevita Olimpija won the third quarter with a difference of five points, and for the second time this season, they exceeded the limit of one hundred points with a minute left to play, after Blažič’s fourth three-pointer. In the last quarter of the match, the team from Stožice showed slightly more determination in defense and allowed their opponents to score only 12 points.

Jaka Blažič was the highest-scoring Dragon tonight, tallying 33 points (6/8 for two, 4/7 for three, 9/9 free throws) with excellent shooting percentages. Jarrod Jones in Kendrick Perry contributed 13 of 15 points, the latter adding seven assists in his stats sheet. With ten points, Mikael Hopkins added his share to the Dragons’ victory, Edo Murić contributed nine points and seven rebounds. Also, nine were scored by Rion Brown, who added eight more rebounds.

Statements After the Game

Jurica Golemac, Head Coach Cedevite Olimpije:
“Congratulations to the boys for winning, certainly the game was not as easy as the result shows. Bursaspor has injury problems, they are missing players in rotation. Yet they have individual quality and talent in their team, as we saw at the start of the meeting when they easily scored baskets. We need to improve the defense and correct the basic mistakes. ”

Jaka Blažič, kapetan Cedevite Olimpije:
“It’s an important victory, but we are not done with our work in Turkey. Another match awaits us on Wednesday, which will be even more important for me. We should not relax and continue in such a style. Bursaspor does not have a perfect team available, they are missing a few basketball players and we have to take advantage of that. We will definitely be fresher on Wednesday and I believe in another victory. ”

7DAYS EUROCUP, ROUND 2

Tofas Sport Salonu (Bursa), Monday, 9. November:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – FRUTTI EXTRA BURSASPOR 104:88 (27:26, 31:28, 27:22, 19:12)
Cedevita Olimpija: Radović, Perry 15 (7 assists), Hopkins 10, Duščak, Murić 9 (7 rebounds), Ukić 7 (7 assists), Blažič 33, Brown 9 (8 rebounds), Hodžić, Jones 13, Ščuka, Marinković 8 (5 rebounds).

STATS
GALLERY

STANDINGS