Battle for the Semifinals will be decided in Ljubljana
Cedevita Olimpija squad has suffered a defeat by FMP Soccerbet (102:96) in the second game of the Quarterfinal series of the AdmiralBet ABA League, and therefore, the battle for the Semifinals is extended for another game, which will be decisive. The Game 3 will take place in Ljubljana and the winner will face the better … Continued
Cedevita Olimpija squad has suffered a defeat by FMP Soccerbet (102:96) in the second game of the Quarterfinal series of the AdmiralBet ABA League, and therefore, the battle for the Semifinals is extended for another game, which will be decisive. The Game 3 will take place in Ljubljana and the winner will face the better team of the quarterfinal series between Partizan Mozzart Bet and SC Derby.
The date of the game is still to be announced, but already now, it is clear that the season will go on for the Dragons on Thursday, 18.00, when the Dragons will play on the road against the seventh-placed team of the Regular Season of the Slovenian National Championship.
The game, that has begun with a minute of silence in honour of the victims of the shooting tragedies in Belgrade, did not go according to the plan by the Ljubljana squad. FMP Soccerbet have bounced back after the defeat in Game 1, beat Cedevita Olimpija at home in Belgrade and forced Game 3 of the series. It has been a clash, in which the Panthers have been ahead all since the beginning and have deservedly come up with a win, that will secure them at least another game this season.
In a game of ups and downs, where FMP Soccerbet have been in front throughout the game, but Cedevita Olimpija kept coming back, the teams were close for the last time after Cedevita Olimpija’s comeback with 7 minutes to go, when the score was 78:77 in favour of the hosts. FMP Soccerbet replied with an 8:0 run and were ahead by 9 points with 6 minutes left on the game clock. As it turned out, Cedevita Olimpija did not manage to reply again all until it has proved to be too late and these were the crucial moments.
It’s worth mentioning, that Alen Omić has, with two offensive rebounds made in this game, become the top offensive rebounder of all time in the AdmiralBet ABA League history, as he has achieved 434 offensive rebounds in his entire career in the regional competition.
Yogi Ferrell has led the way in scoring for Cedevita Olimpija with 22 points on his record. Edo Murić and Josh Adams followed with 13 apiece.
ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE, QUARTERFINALS
GAME 2
Arena KK FMP (Železnik, Serbia), Saturday, May 6:
FMP SOCCERBET – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA 102:96 (26:17, 24:28, 24:22, 28:29) [1:1]*
Cedevita Olimpija: Rebec 2, Ferrell 22 (7 assists), Radović 5, Jeremić 7, Alibegović 5, Murić 13, Mulalić, Adams 13, Matković 9, Gnjidić, Omić 8 (6 rebounds), Dragić 12.
GAME 1
Stožice Arena (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Saturday, April 29:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – FMP SOCCERBET 87:77 (23:24, 26:16, 15:16, 23:21)
Cedevita Olimpija: Rebec 2, Ferrell 20 (5 assists), Radović 5, Jeremić 6, Alibegović 2, Murić 9, Mulalić, Adams 15 (5 rebounds), Matković 11 (7 rebounds), Gnjidić, Omić 12 (10 rebounds), Dragić 5.
*First team to two wins advances to the semifinals.
