In the first round against U-BT Cluj-Napoca

The Cedevita Olimpija team is facing a new challenging test and the start of another international competition in the 2024/25 season. On Wednesday at 18.00 Slovenian time, the Dragons will play their first round of the BKT EuroCup against U-BT Cluj in Romania.

Cedevita Olimpija’s senior team will also kick off the new EuroCup season in Romania on Wednesday. The first round of the regular season will feature a match against U-BT Cluj, beginning at 18.00 Slovenian time (19.00 PM local time). The Dragons will aim for a victory after suffering a loss in their first round of the regional league against FMP Soccerbet (62:75) on Sunday in Železnik.

The team traveled to Romania without Žiga Daneu, who returned to Ljubljana on Monday for a medical check-up with the club doctor. We will receive the examination results later today. After a fall near the end of the game against FMP, Žiga was immediately taken to the hospital, where tests showed that his condition is good. He rejoined his teammates at the hotel on Sunday night. On Monday morning, Žiga was in good spirits but traveled back to Ljubljana for precautionary reasons, and we’ll determine how long he’ll be absent after assessing his condition.

Lovro Gnjidić did not travel with the team on this first trip of the season. He also missed the season opener due to illness and will be absent for an extended period, with further updates to come in the following days.

PRE-GAME STATEMENTS:

Zvezdan Mitrović, Head Coach of Cedevita Olimpija:
“The teams in both groups in BKT EuroCup are definitely on a higher level than in the previous season. We’ll be able to watch a team that came from the EuroLeague, and on the other hand, teams that have significantly increased their budgets. In our group, we can find the former EuroLeague team Valencia, as well as our future opponents Cluj, last season’s finalist Bourg, the strong Hapoel, but I don’t want to list every team individually. The consensus, not just mine, is that the EuroCup is much stronger this season than in the last. Our main goal is to fight for a playoff spot, and that goal should motivate us to perform as well as possible and play at a high level since we’re not the clear favorites against any opponent in the group. We need to play well, as a team. During preparations, we had both good and bad periods, and building the team is a long process. Cluj is a serious team, a club where Duško Vujošević laid some foundations, and the current coach has been with the team for many years. The club has been increasing its budget season after season, and they’ve added quality players in certain positions compared to last season. This will be the first time in my career that I’ll play against our opponents, but it’s clear we’re talking about a serious project that is improving season by season. We’ll try to prepare for the game as best as possible, but the favorite role for Wednesday’s match undoubtedly belongs to Cluj. EuroCup is a strong competition. I’ve played in it before with ASVEL, where we reached the quarterfinals, and with Monaco, with whom we won the title. After the EuroLeague, EuroCup is definitely the second strongest basketball competition in Europe, which is evident from the level of organization and the teams that compete in it. I’m happy to return to the competition. We have a challenging schedule ahead of us. What’s most important to me is that we are prepared and that we approach each game bravely, just like we did in the Tivoli tournament, where we faced EuroLeague teams. We’re motivated to put on the best performance possible. The schedule might not favor us at the start of the season, but in the end, that doesn’t matter, as you can start the season poorly and improve as it progresses, and vice versa.”

Brynton Lemar, player of Cedevita Olimpija:
“Every team that competes in the BKT EuroCup is good, and each game presents a strong challenge. I want us to step onto the court ready to fight in every match. I don’t have all the answers, and I can’t predict that we’ll finish the season undefeated. But we will definitely give our best, be competitive, and strive to improve with every game, while doing everything we can to win as many games as possible. We’re excited that the season is starting, and at the same time, we’re hungry and eager to prove ourselves as a team. It’s still early, but we’re definitely hungry to make our mark in the EuroCup. Cluj is a very good team. Our opponents have slightly revamped their lineup with some new players. I expect us to give our all for all 40 minutes and show a different face than in the test match against FMP. We need to be more aggressive and focused. I expect a good game where we’ll give everything we have, and hopefully, the result at the end of the game will be in our favor.”

TV BROADCAST:

The game against Cluj will be broadcast live on Šport TV 1. The studio coverage will begin at 17.15.

Cedevita Olimpija has also prepared a special viewing experience for all fans, featuring a Pub Quiz at Pivnica Union. Activities will start at 16.30, and at 17.30, attention will shift to the game.

MATCH PREVIEW:

The Romanian team has won the last four Romanian national championships and has claimed the Romanian Cup title twice in a row. Last season, the Romanians reached the quarterfinals of the BKT EuroCup, where they were eliminated by the London Lions.

Ahead of the 2024/25 season, Cluj has strengthened its roster with DeShawn Stephens, a EuroCup veteran, Sasu Salin, a familiar face to the Ljubljana audience, playmaker Zavier Simpson, who played in the G-League and NBA last season, Zach Hankins, the MVP of the Israeli league in 2022/23, and 2022 EuroCup champion with Virtus, Kevin Hervey. The club retained DJ Seeley, Mareks Mejeris, Karel Guzman, and Patrick Richard, making Cluj once again one of the teams aiming for the top spots in this season’s EuroCup.

In their preseason, Cluj played seven games, winning five. Notably, they defeated Dubai (89:75) and Igokea (87:85), but narrowly lost their final test before the season against Beşiktaş in Istanbul, 90:92.

Cedevita Olimpija started the new season in both international competitions with a loss to FMP Soccerbet (62:75) on Sunday. The Ljubljana team played well in the first half, leading 40:33 after 20 minutes, but then experienced a drop in performance, which the home team capitalized on to secure a well-deserved victory. Devin Robinson was the top scorer for the Green-Orange team with 18 points, while captain Jaka Blažič added 10 points.

Cedevita Olimpija and Cluj have faced each other before during the 2022/23 season, with the Romanian team winning both encounters. In Cluj, on October 19, 2022, the scoreboard showed 94:76 in favor of the home team, while in Stožice on January 18, 2023, Cluj won again, 88:80.

BKT EUROCUP, REGULAR SEASON ROUND 01

BT-Arena (Cluj-Napoca, Romania), Wednesday, September 25, at 19.00 (18.00 SLO):
U-BT CLUJ-NAPOCA – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA (Live broadcast on Šport TV 1 and live stream on Euroleague TV)

LOOKING AHEAD:

After the away game in Cluj, the Dragons will return to Ljubljana for two consecutive home games. On Sunday at 17.00, they’ll host Dubai in the second round of the AdmiralBet ABA League in Stožice, and on Tuesday at 20.00, they’ll face Umana Reyer from Venice in the second round of the BKT EuroCup. The game against the team from Venice will also feature a special Pre-Basket Party, starting at 18.00 outside Stožice. Tickets for both games are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com.

Following this, the senior team will travel to Bar for a game against Mornar-Barsko zlato on October 5, before heading straight to Turkey for a game against Turk Telekom on October 8.