Win in the first game in Novo mesto

The Cedevita Olimpija senior squad is up 1:0 in the Final series of the domestic dhampionship. On Tuesday, the Dragons have prevailed over Krka 75:73 in the first game of the best of five series, on the road in Leon Štukelj Sports Hall in Novo mesto.

Cedevita Olimpija team is coming back from Novo mesto to Ljubljana with an important win in the Game 1 of the domestic championship Finals. In the Leon Štukelj Sports Hall, the score on the scoreboard in the end has been 75:73 and the Dragons took a 1:0 lead in the series. The second game is coming up on Thursday, 20:00 in Stožice and Game 3 will be up on Saturday, 18:00 in Novo mesto. Possible games 4 and 5 will take place next week in Ljubljana and Novo mesto.

The Ljubljana side, that has travelled to Novo mesto without head coach Zvezdan Mitrović (suspended), Devin Robinson (injury) and DJ Stewart and Andrija Stipanović (not registered to play in the domestic championship), has therefore made a first step towards the fifth straight domestic championship trophy, as they are now only separated from the title by two victories. Since 2007/08 season on, the teams that won Game 1 have won 13 out of 16 Final series.

The teams will meet the next time on Thursday, 20:00 in Stožice. The entrance to the arena will be free of charge for all fans!

GAME REPORT:

Just as it is supposed to be in the big Finals, the game was close since the very beginning and all until the end. The Dragons took the lead in the opening quarter, after which they have been in front by three points and they increased the advantage to seven points by halftime (38:45). They have remained in front for the majority of the playing time, but never really managed to properly pulled away and the two squads have entered the final quarter levelled at the 57:57 score. The visiting side made a decisive push between 33rd and 36th minute of the game, when it made an 11:3 run and afterwards Krka just did not manage to get back into the battle for the win anymore.

For Cedevita Olimpija, Aleksej Nikolić and Gregor Glas topped the list of scorers with 13 points made each.

OTP BANK LEAGUE, FINAL SERIES

GAME 1

Leona Štuklja Sports Hall (Novo Mesto, Slovenia), Tuesday, June 3:
KRKA – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA 73:75 (23:26, 15:19, 19:12, 16:18) [0:1]*
Cedevita Olimpija: Radović 7 (6 skokov), Nikolić 13, Glas 13, Blažič 11 (5 skokov), Beringer 10 (5 skokov), Jones, Lemar 9, Morano Mahmutovič, Lazarevski, Tasić 8 (6 skokov), Prepelič, Daneu 4.

STATISTICS
PHOTO GALLERY

GAME 2

Stožice Arena (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Thursday, June 5, at 8:00 PM:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – KRKA (TV broadcast on Šport TV; free entry)

GAME 3

Leona Štuklja Sports Hall (Novo Mesto, Slovenia), Saturday, June 7, at 6:00 PM:
KRKA – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA (TV broadcast on Šport TV)

GAME 4 **

Stožice Arena (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Monday, June 9, at 6:00 PM:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – KRKA (free entry)

GAME 5 **

Leona Štuklja Sports Hall (Novo Mesto, Slovenia), Thursday, June 12, at 6:00 PM:
KRKA – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA

*Score in wins. The series is played to three wins.
**Potential fourth and fifth games.