Dragons without finals of Spar Cup
On Saturday, the Ljubljana players suffered a defeat against Krka from Novo mesto (82:80) in the semi-final match of the final tournament, which takes place in the Kodeljevo Sports Hall, and were left without a performance in the Spar Cup final. The players of Cedevita Olimpija were left without a performance in the finals of … Continued
On Saturday, the Ljubljana players suffered a defeat against Krka from Novo mesto (82:80) in the semi-final match of the final tournament, which takes place in the Kodeljevo Sports Hall, and were left without a performance in the Spar Cup final.
The players of Cedevita Olimpija were left without a performance in the finals of the Slovenian cup competition. On Saturday, the scoreboard in the Kodeljevo Sports Hall showed 82:80 in favor of Novo mesto’s Krka, which will face Šentjur in Sunday’s final match, which will start at 20.30 in Kodeljevo. Cedevita Olimpija was left without the coveted appearance in the finals of the Slovenian Cup competition, and the title of cup competition champion will not return to the Stožen showcases for the first time since 2017.
The match between the two most trophy-winning Slovenian basketball teams in the first half was marked by numerous upheavals. The only correct thing was that the teams went to the main break tied at 41:41. In the third quarter, the teams started enthusiastically and without surrender, and only in the last part of the game did it look like the Dragons would dominate on the floor of the hall at Kodeljevo. At the end of the match, the protégés of coach Jurica Golemac entered with a nice advantage, as they were leading by 8 points (72:80) a minute before the end. But an incredible turnaround of Novo mesto citizens followed, which was crowned by Krka’s Luka Lapornik with a triple at the sound of the siren for victory.
Jaka Blažič was the most efficient shooter in the Ljubljana team, scoring 23 points, while Kendrick Perry contributed 17. Jarrod Jones followed with 16 points.
Ljubljana and Novo mesto squads will meet again on Wednesday, this time in the first match of the final set of the Nova KBM League. The showdown in Stožice will start at 20.30.
STATEMENTS AFTER THE GAME:
Jurica Golemac, head coach of Cedevita Olimpija:
“Congratulations to Krka. I wouldn’t go down on whether they won deservedly, because even our victory wouldn’t be undeserved. Basketball is unpredictable, which has been well seen today. Small mistakes lead to us losing an eight-point advantage in the last minute. I have nothing to add. We have to pick ourselves up and enter the finals of the national championship together.”
Jarrod Jones, player of Cedevita Olimpija:
“From the very beginning, it was a tough race with a lot of ups and downs. In the end, the basketball gods were on their side. They played some good attacks, stayed collected, fought until the last second and in the end it paid off for them.”
SPAR CUP, FINAL TOURNAMENT
SEMIFINALS
Saturday, May 22:
KRKA – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA 82:80 (26:22, 16:20, 16:18, 24:20)
Cedevita Olimpija: Perry 17, Hopkins 6 (8 rebounds), Duščak, Murić 6 (5 rebounds), Blažič 23 (6 rebounds), Brown 9, Hodžić, Jones 16 (6 rebounds), Ščuka, Dimec 3, Marinković, Rupnik (5 rebounds).
