Facing Hamburg in important EuroCup game

The players of Cedevita Olimpija are returning to the court on Thursday after a competitive break due to national team commitments. At Arena Stožice, they will host Veolia Towers Hamburg as part of the ninth round of the BKT EuroCup regular season at 6:30 PM.

Following the competitive break, the senior team of Cedevita Olimpija will take to the court on Thursday at 6:30 PM in Arena Stožice to face the German team Veolia Towers Hamburg in the ninth round of the BKT EuroCup regular season. The Dragons will aim to break a three-game losing streak in the EuroCup against a team that, after five consecutive losses to start the season, has won two of its last three games.

Bine Prepelič, who was injured during national team play, underwent an additional medical examination on Monday, which confirmed that surgery for his hand injury is not necessary. Prepelič has already started rehabilitation but will be out of action for an extended period.

TICKET PURCHASE:

Tickets for the game are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com, Eventim Slovenia, and through the Petrol Ticket online platform. Additionally, tickets can be purchased at all Petrol gas stations across Slovenia.

As a proud sponsor of Cedevita Olimpija, Telekom Slovenije offers a promotion where third ticket is free when purchasing two tickets. All details about how to claim the free ticket are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com.

The ticket office and arena doors will open at 5:30 PM. The NLB Fast Lane will also be available, allowing quicker access to the arena for visitors presenting an NLB bank card.

As part of the Green Five initiative, all fans are encouraged to come to Sunday’s game on foot, by bike, scooter, or public transport. Ticket holders can use Ljubljana public transport buses for free three hours before and three hours after the game.

On Thursday, Stožice will host two sports events. At 6:30 PM, Cedevita Olimpija’s basketball team will play, followed by Olimpija’s football team taking to the Stožice stadium field at 9:00 PM. Fans attending both games will receive a 30% discount on tickets for the second event. This discount also applies to holders of season tickets and European packages.

TV BROADCAST:

The game will be broadcast live on Šport TV 1, with studio coverage beginning at 5:45 PM.

MOVEMBER IN THE DRAGONS’ FAMILY AND FAN ZONE:

The game against Hamburg will be dedicated to raising awareness about testicular and prostate cancer, in cooperation with the Slovenian Men’s Cancer Society, Onkoman. The primary goal is to increase awareness of these diseases and encourage men to take timely action to maintain their health. On Monday, Cedevita Olimpija’s basketball and NK Olimpija’s football teams attended a lecture organized by Onkoman and Triglav Insurance at Triglav Lab in Ljubljana.

During the game against Hamburg, Cedevita Olimpija players will wear blue shirts instead of warm-up jerseys, and the coaching staff has been wearing blue ribbons throughout the month.

Young fans will once again have the chance to showcase their basketball skills and enjoy creative activities like coloring Zmaji-themed drawings. Renault Slovenia will organize activities with pedal cars, while those looking for a challenge can compete on an electric car track with friends.

The 6th Dragon corner will also be active, allowing fans to participate in an attractive prize game via the app, which can be downloaded on mobile phones to help shape the club’s image.

There will also be a prize game by Heka Supplements, and fans can win an exciting prize from Triglav Insurance by successfully shooting from half-court.

QUOTES BEFORE THE GAME:

Zvezdan Mitrović, Head Coach: “Hamburg is a team that can be described as inconsistent this season, with both brilliant and poor performances. Our opponents have also made some roster changes and added reinforcements for the rest of the season. They have energy, athletic players, and a lot of foreign players. If you recklessly run with them, you can face big problems. That’s how they beat Turk Telekom and defeated Aris by a large margin. On the other hand, they also have significant dips in their game. After over a week without games, it will be interesting for us to see our condition on the court. We must approach the game seriously, with strong defense, as we cannot afford to play a run-and-gun style. This game is very important for our fight for a playoff spot. We must win every home game and try to surprise on the road. I am most concerned with getting the team back into a good rhythm. We had that rhythm during the preseason and early in the EuroCup, so we’re focusing on improving our defensive energy.”

Aleksej Nikolić, Point Guard: “During the break, we rested well, especially considering the exhausting schedule we had in the two weeks before the national team break. We also used the time to heal minor injuries, reintegrate into training, wait for our national team players to return, and prepare for this game. We’re looking forward to playing again. We anticipate an aggressive game on both sides of the court. We’ll need to respond to our opponents’ rhythm and impose our own. This is an important game that we must win. I invite all fans to join us—they surely missed the games as much as we did. Their support will definitely help us on Thursday.”

GAME PREVIEW:

After a competitive break of just over a week, Cedevita Olimpija will return to the court to host Hamburg at Stožice. This matchup with the team from Germany’s second-largest city marks the midpoint of the EuroCup regular season, with the Dragons aiming for their fifth win, crucial for playoff contention.

Following a great start to the EuroCup with four wins in their first five games, the Dragons suffered three consecutive losses. Defense has been their main issue, with opponents averaging 90, 94, and 109 points in those games.

BKT EUROCUP, ROUND 9

Arena Stožice (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Thursday, November 28, 6:30 PM:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – VEOLIA TOWERS HAMBURG (TV broadcast on Šport TV 1)

LOOKING AHEAD:

The day after the game against Hamburg, Cedevita Olimpija will travel to Čačak, where they’ll face Borac Mozzart on Saturday at 5:00 PM in the 10th round of the AdmiralBet ABA League, aiming for their fourth regional league victory. They’ll then return to Ljubljana for a game against Cluj on Tuesday, December 3, at 6:30 PM. Tickets for the game against Cluj are already available at vstopnice.olimpija.com, with special discounts in the Advent package.