Game 1 of the Domestic League Quarterfinals is ahead of the Dragons

The senior team of Cedevita Olimpija is entering the final phase of the 2024/25 competitive season. The Dragons will first begin the playoffs in the national championship, facing GGD Šenčur in the quarterfinal series. The first quarterfinal game is scheduled for Tuesday at 18:00 at the Šenčur Sports Hall.

The senior team of Cedevita Olimpija is set to start the knockout stage of the Slovenian national championship. In the quarterfinal series, played as a best-of-three, the Dragons will face GGD Šenčur, who finished the regular season in seventh place. The first game will take place on Tuesday at 18:00 at the Šenčur Sports Hall. The second game is scheduled for the following Tuesday at 18:00 in Stožice Arena, with a potential third game two days later, again in Šenčur.

Due to their participation in the EuroCup and the regional league, the Ljubljana team skipped the first part of the national championship, with teams playing 27 games in the regular season. Šenčur concluded the regular season with 12 wins and 15 losses. In the national championship playoffs, the Dragons have faced Šenčur in the last two seasons, both times in the semifinals, and on both occasions, Ljubljana emerged victorious after two games.

TV BROADCAST:

The game will be broadcast on Šport TV 1. A link to the online stream can be found below.

PRE-GAME QUOTE:

Zvezdan Mitrović, head coach of KK Cedevita Olimpija:
“Ahead of us is the first game of the national championship playoffs, as we travel to face GGD Šenčur in the quarterfinal opener. The timing of the game is somewhat inconvenient, as our focus is already partly on the regional league quarterfinal against Dubai. Nevertheless, we aim to make the most of this matchup with Šenčur. The player rotation will likely be adjusted, but we must approach the game with seriousness and energy. Proper focus is key, as we will face a well-coordinated team that trains and plays at a professional level daily, meaning they will be highly motivated. We’ve already experienced this in the Spar Cup games. The second quarterfinal game follows a week later at home, practically right after our return from Dubai. From the players who will take the court on Tuesday, we expect full focus and optimal use of their playing time. With the right approach, we can look forward to securing the first win.”

GAME PREVIEW:

On Tuesday, Cedevita Olimpija will begin defending their national championship title from the 2023/24 season in Šenčur. The Dragons are chasing their 22nd Slovenian national championship title, their fifth consecutive one, though the road to a potential new trophy is still long. In the quarterfinal series of the national championship, they will face GGD Šenčur, who competed in the ABA League 2 last season and participated in the Slovenian national championship and Spar Cup in the 2024/25 season.

Šenčur finished the regular season with 12 wins and 15 losses, losing four of their last five regular-season games and defeating only LTH Castings. In their final regular-season game before the playoffs, Šenčur faced ECE Triglav from Kranj in a Gorenjska derby. After 30 minutes of play, they held an 11-point lead, but Kranj turned the game around in the final quarter, securing a 94:89 victory.

Šenčur boasts the most efficient player in the Slovenian national championship based on the performance index, provided the player has appeared in at least 20 games. This is Alen Malovčič, a former player of Cedevita Olimpija’s youth teams, who averages 17.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game this season, ranking among the top five scorers and rebounders in the competition.

The senior team of Cedevita Olimpija last took the court on Saturday, when they faced Krka in Novo Mesto in a Slovenian derby in the regional league, securing a hard-fought 91:87 victory. The Dragons’ top scorer was Devin Robinson with 19 points and five rebounds, followed by Brynton Lemar with 18 points, while DJ Stewart and Rok Radović each scored 10 points.

OTP BANK LEAGUE, QUARTERFINALS

GAME 1

Šenčur Sports Hall (Šenčur, Slovenia), Tuesday, May 6, at 18:00:
GGD ŠENČUR – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA (Broadcast on Šport TV 1) [0:0]*

GAME 2

Stožice Arena (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Tuesday, May 13, at 18:00:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – GGD ŠENČUR (Free entry)

GAME 3

Šenčur Sports Hall (Šenčur, Slovenia), Thursday, May 15, at 18:00:
GGD ŠENČUR – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA

*Score in wins. The quarterfinal series is played as a best-of-three.
**If necessary.

LOOKING AHEAD:

On Friday, the senior team will travel to Dubai, where they will face Dubai in the first game of the AdmiralBet ABA League quarterfinal series on Sunday at 16:00 Slovenian time. After the game, they will return to Ljubljana, where, on Tuesday, May 13, at 18:00, the Dragons will face GGD Šenčur in Stožice Arena for the second game of the national championship quarterfinals.