Final Round of the regular season up ahead in Novo mesto

The Leon Štukelj Sports Hall in Novo Mesto will be the venue for the final round of the regular season of the AdmiralBet ABA League for Cedevita Olimpija’s basketball team, who will face off against Novo Mesto’s Krka in a Slovenian derby on Saturday at 7:00 PM. Team captain Jaka Blažič returned to team training this week.

The Cedevita Olimpija senior team is set to conclude the regular part of the 2024/25 AdmiralBet ABA League season. In the Slovenian derby of the 30th round, the players led by head coach Zvezdan Mitrović will take on Krka on Saturday at 7:00 PM in Novo Mesto’s Leon Štukelj Sports Hall. While Krka currently holds 14th place in the standings, the Dragons are still in contention for a better starting position ahead of the playoffs, though the final outcome is no longer entirely in their hands.

Ljubljana’s team, along with Igokea m:tel, has a record of 18 wins and 11 losses after 29 games. A potential Cedevita Olimpija victory on Saturday in Novo Mesto, combined with a possible Igokea loss to Mornar-Barsko Zlato, would see the Ljubljana squad finish the regular season in fifth place. If both teams win or lose, or if Igokea wins and Cedevita Olimpija loses, Mitrović’s team would end the regular season in sixth place.

This week, team captain Jaka Blažič rejoined team training. Thursday’s session was missed by Danilo Tasić due to pain resulting from a fall during practice. Andrija Stipanović continues to train on a modified program.

TV BROADCAST:

The game will be broadcast live on Arena Sport Slovenia 1 and Kanal A. The studio coverage on Arena will begin at 6:30 PM.

PRE-GAME QUOTES:

“We have a game ahead of us that marks the end of the regular season for both teams. We need to stay focused, maintain our rhythm and form, and try to avoid injuries. Andrija Stipanović remains sidelined, Danilo Tasić missed training, but Jaka Blažič has rejoined team practices and will step onto the court for Saturday’s game. Players on both sides need to deliver a strong performance, and we will also use this opportunity to prepare for the playoffs,” said Cedevita Olimpija’s head coach Zvezdan Mitrović ahead of Saturday’s game in Novo Mesto.

“It’s been a long time, but this week I rejoined the team for training and am now practicing normally with my teammates. I’m looking forward to my first game after a long break. I hope for the best possible result. Above all, I want us to play a good game in Novo Mesto, as our main goal is, of course, to win, and I hope we can achieve that. At the same time, we’ll use this game to prepare for the upcoming playoffs,” said the Dragons’ captain Jaka Blažič ahead of Saturday’s clash in Novo Mesto. Blažič last wore Cedevita Olimpija’s jersey in the EuroCup Round of 16 game against Beşiktaş on March 5.

GAME PREVIEW:

The final round of the regional league was marked by Slovenian-Serbian matchups between Cedevita Olimpija and Partizan Mozzart Bet in Ljubljana, and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet and Krka in Belgrade. The Dragons entered their clash with the Black-and-Whites cautiously, allowing Partizan to quickly pull ahead in Stožice Arena. They chased them throughout but were ultimately unsuccessful. The scoreboard in Stožice showed 81:71 in favor of the Belgrade team after 40 minutes. The game between Zvezda and Krka was close until the middle of the third quarter, when the hosts stepped on the gas and calmly brought the game to a close (81:69). Nevertheless, Krka had already secured their place in the top ABA League tier before the game, as Cibona lost to Borac in the first match of the round.

Ahead of Saturday’s matchup, Krka played on Wednesday, defeating Kansai Helios Domžale 88:79 on their home court, securing first place in the national championship standings before the playoffs. Domžale started the game stronger, even leading by 14 points, but the hosts turned the tide and celebrated the victory. Tayler Persons shone with 33 points, while Brady Skeens recorded 10 points and 13 rebounds.

This season, Cedevita Olimpija and Krka have faced each other three times—once in the regular season of the regional league and twice in competitions under the Slovenian Basketball Federation. In the regional league, they met on January 5 in a thrilling game that went into overtime. Cedevita Olimpija’s hero was Brynton Lemar, who first tied the game with a basket in regulation and then sealed the win with a layup in overtime. Devin Robinson and Jaka Blažič each scored 17 points, while Lemar and Rok Radović added 10 each. For Krka, Tayler Persons scored 20 points, Miha Cerkvenik had 15, and Tibor Mirtić contributed 14.

In their first meeting of the season, the Slovenian Super Cup in Laško on September 17, the scoreboard showed 103:73 in favor of Cedevita Olimpija. Their most recent encounter was in the Spar Cup final at Kodeljevo on February 14, where Ljubljana’s team won 102:71. In Laško, three players in the Green-and-Orange jersey—Žiga Daneu, Aleksej Nikolić, and Lemar—scored 16 points each, while Krka’s top scorers were Marc Garcia and Jakob Čebašek with 14 points each. At Kodeljevo, Gregor Glas led with 21 points, Devante Jones added 17, and Tayler Persons scored 14 for Krka.

ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE, 30TH ROUND OF THE REGULAR SEASON

Leon Štukelj Sports Hall (Novo Mesto, Slovenia), Saturday, May 3, at 7:00 PM:
KRKA – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA (TV broadcast on Arena Sport Slovenia 1 and Kanal A)

STANDINGS:

LOOKING AHEAD:

After the trip to Novo Mesto, Cedevita Olimpija’s basketball players will begin the knockout stages of the AdmiralBet ABA League and the national championship, where they will defend their title as national champions. The schedule for the first round of the playoffs is currently tentative, but once the exact dates are confirmed, fans will be informed through all our networks.