Win in Zadar After 4 Years, Comeback and Overtime
The senior men’s team of Cedevita Olimpija basketball players defeated Zadar 112:101 on Friday in the 16th round of the first phase of the AdmiralBet ABA League, recording their first win in Zadar since 2022. On Friday, at the Krešimir Ćosić Arena in Zadar, Cedevita Olimpija snapped a two-game losing streak in the ABA League … Continued
The senior men’s team of Cedevita Olimpija basketball players defeated Zadar 112:101 on Friday in the 16th round of the first phase of the AdmiralBet ABA League, recording their first win in Zadar since 2022.
On Friday, at the Krešimir Ćosić Arena in Zadar, Cedevita Olimpija snapped a two-game losing streak in the ABA League and at the same time secured their first away victory in Zadar since 2022. In the 16th-round clash of the opening phase of the regional league, the scoreboard read 112:101 in favor of the Slovenian champions. This was Ljubljana’s 11th win in this stage of the competition, keeping them in contention for the top of Group B, while they have already secured a place among the league’s top eight teams.
This game marked the first of five consecutive away fixtures for the squad led by head coach Zvezdan Mitrović. On Wednesday, the Dragons will be in action in Venice, where they face Umana Reyer in a EuroCup matchup at 8:00 p.m. They will return to regional league action next Sunday, when they visit Perspektiva Ilirija in Tivoli.
GAME REPORT:
Zadar won the first quarter by two points (18:16) and held the upper hand for most of the game. Even seven minutes before the final buzzer, the home side were up by eight points (83:75), but six consecutive points by Umoja Gibson cut the deficit to just two (83:81) with five minutes remaining. A tense finish followed, with the momentum able to swing either way, but in the end Marko Ramljak missed one of two free throws that could have carried the home team to victory.
The crowd at the Višnjik arena then witnessed overtime and a one-man show by Aleksej Nikolić, who scored the Dragons’ first nine points in the additional five minutes and totaled 12 points in overtime. Led by head coach Zvezdan Mitrović, the team ultimately broke the hosts’ resistance and celebrated a 112:101 win.
Aleksej Nikolić was the top scorer for Cedevita Olimpija with 23 points. DJ Stewart added 17, Umoja Gibson had 16, and Miha Cerkvenik finished with 15.
ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE, REGULAR SEASON, ROUND 16
Dvorana Krešimir Ćosić (Zadar, Croatia), Friday, January 23:
ZADAR – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA 101:112 (18:16, 29:26, 26:23, 21:29, 7:18)
Cedevita Olimpija: Stewart 17, Gibson 16 (8 assists), Girard III 7, Radović 7, Nikolić 23, Brajković 4, Ustun 2, Cerkvenik 15, Hurt 9, Škara 9, Kennedy 3.
STANDINGS:
More to follow…
