Game 1 of the Spar Cup Quarterfinals against Ilirija is ahead of us

Before the senior team of Cedevita Olimpija begins their challenges in the Spar Cup for the 2024/25 competitive season. The Dragons face a Ljubljana showdown against Ilirija in the quarterfinals of the competition, which will determine one of the four participants in the final tournament of the Slovenian Cup. The first game will take place … Continued

After the senior team of Cedevita Olimpija successfully returned to winning ways on Saturday with a victory over SC Derby at Tivoli, the Dragons are set to return to the Tivoli court. However, this time, they will play as visitors against Ilirija. This clash between the two Ljubljana teams will take place in the quarterfinals of the Spar Cup, with the first match scheduled for Thursday at 1:00 PM in the Shrine of Slovenian Basketball. The return match will be held on February 10 at Stožice.

PRE-GAME QUOTE:

“After a short holiday break, we all expect the players to be somewhat more relaxed, but the approach to the game against Ilirija will be entirely professional and serious. Due to competition limitations, the rotation of foreign players will be smaller this time, so we will include some young players from our second senior team. The preparations for the game will be thorough, and the players will also get a day off due to the holidays. Despite the slightly altered rotation, we take the game very seriously and will play it at the highest possible level,” said Zvezdan Mitrović, the head coach of the senior team of Cedevita Olimpija, ahead of Thursday’s game.

LIVE STREAM:

The game can be watched live on the official YouTube channel of the Basketball Federation of Slovenia.

MATCH PREVIEW:

Ilirija has been performing exceptionally well in the NLB ABA League 2 during the 2024/25 season. In the first part of the season, they secured four wins in six games, claiming first place in Group D and earning a spot among the top eight teams in the competition. In this phase, the eight teams will be divided into two groups, with Ilirija competing alongside Cedevita Junior, Vojvodina, and Široki. In the ABA League 2, Ilirija’s most effective player is Tim Tomažič, averaging 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.

In the Slovenian national championship, Ilirija is in third place on the standings during the Christmas and New Year competitive break, trailing Krka and Kansai Helios Domžale. The Ljubljana club has achieved eight wins in 12 games, two fewer than Domžale and three fewer than Novo mesto. Ilirija played their last game on Monday, visiting Terme Olimia Podčetrtek. They started the game strongly but narrowly lost in the end (91:93). Tomažič scored 18 points for Ilirija, followed by Vincent Lamont Golson Jr. and Luka Kureš with 17 points each. Team captain Tadej Ferme contributed 11 points, and Kur Malith Jockuch added 10.

It is worth highlighting that Ilirija also features Slovenian national team player Marko Padjen. The young Padjen joined the senior national team during the November cycle, in which Slovenia played two qualification games against Portugal. In the first game, Padjen recorded seven assists and two rebounds, while in the second, he scored for the first time in his senior national team career, contributing two points and one assist.

Cedevita Olimpija enters the clash against Ilirija with a record of eight wins in their last nine games in the AdmiralBet ABA League and BKT EuroCup. On Saturday, the Dragons convincingly defeated SC Derby (100:86) at Tivoli, marking their fifth consecutive win in the regional league under head coach Zvezdan Mitrović. In the 2024/25 season, the Ljubljana team aims to secure their fourth consecutive cup title, their 24th in independent Slovenia.

The last time a Ljubljana showdown took place in competitions under the Basketball Federation of Slovenia was during the 2021/22 season. Cedevita Olimpija and Ilirija faced each other in the regular season of the national championship, splitting the victories— the Dragons won on the road (82:70), while Ilirija claimed a close win at home (82:84). Both games were played at Tivoli Hall, with Cedevita Olimpija fielding a younger team at the time.

SPAR CUP, QUARTERFINALS

GAME 1

Tivoli Hall (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Thursday, December 26, at 1:00 PM:
ILIRIJA – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA

GAME 2

Arena Stožice (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Monday, February 10:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – ILIRIJA

LOOKING AHEAD:

The end of the calendar year 2024 and the beginning of 2025 will be highly engaging for Cedevita Olimpija. On Monday, December 30, the Dragons will face Partizan Mozzart Bet in Belgrade, and on Thursday, January 2, they will play against Lietkabelis as visitors. They will return to their home court on Sunday, January 5, to host Krka at Stožice at 5:00 PM. As part of Family Day in the Dragon’s Nest, WOOP! Slovenia will also join the event, and entry will be free for all visitors. Details about the activities during the game against Krka will be revealed in the coming days. Just three days later, an important European Cup test awaits, as the Ljubljana team will host Greek side Aris at Stožice. Tickets for the game are already available at vstopnice.olimpija.com.