Regional showdown against Partizan is in front of the Dragons

Before the senior team of Cedevita Olimpija lies the final home game of the regular season in the AdmiralBet ABA League. In the derby of the 29th round, the Ljubljana Dragons will host Partizan Mozzart Bet in Stožice on Sunday at 5:00 PM. Tickets for the game are still available, and from Friday onward, also in the red section of the arena.

On Sunday at 5:00 PM, a true basketball spectacle awaits us in Stožice. Cedevita Olimpija’s senior team will face Partizan Mozzart Bet in their final home game of the regular season in the AdmiralBet ABA League, with both teams still vying for the best possible position before the playoffs begin. The Dragons enter the clash with the Black-and-Whites on the back of an excellent performance in their last game in Podgorica against SC Derby (a 107:84 victory), while Partizan defeated Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet 85:77 in the Belgrade derby on Monday.

Cedevita Olimpija continues to fight for the final fifth place in the standings, currently tied with Igokea m:tel at 18 wins and 10 losses, though the team from Laktaši has a better record from their head-to-head matchups. Partizan, with two games remaining in the regular season, stands at 24 wins, just shy of the top of the table, trailing the leading Budućnost by one win, who also have the advantage in head-to-head matchups this season, while holding a one-win lead over Dubai, who are third in the standings.

In the past week, Rok Radović faced some health issues but completed his first team training session on Friday. Captain Jaka Blažič and Andrija Stipanović continue to follow adjusted training programs.

Due to the limited number of parking spaces in the Stožice garage, we recommend that all visitors to Sunday’s game arrive on time, at least 60 minutes earlier than usual, using public transportation. With a game ticket, you can ride Ljubljana Public Transport buses for free three hours before and three hours after the game.

If you choose to arrive by personal vehicle, park in the nearby parking lots around Stožice (Žale I, Žale II, Žale III, Žale IV, Žale V, Kranjčeva, and Gosarjeva). The garage at the Stožice arena will be open until the limited number of spaces is filled.

TICKET PURCHASE:

Tickets for the game are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com, Eventim Slovenia, and at all Petrol service stations across Slovenia.

The box office and arena gates will open from 3:30 PM onward. The NLB “Fast Entry” will once again be available, allowing visitors who present an NLB bank card before entering the arena to access the Stožice arena more quickly. Given the expected large number of visitors, multiple entry points to the arena will be open.

TV BROADCAST:

The game will be broadcast on Arena Sport Slovenia 1 Premium and Kanal A. The studio coverage will begin at 4:30 PM on Arena and at 4:40 PM on Kanal A.

FAN ZONE:

In the green section of the arena, the true fan zone, unforgettable entertainment awaits! Come for face painting to shine in true fan spirit, test your basketball skills at our hoop, or relax with coloring books for the youngest and books for slightly older fans. On your first visit to a game, you’ll receive a certificate for your first game as a memento of this special day.

In the Cedevita CE zone, dive into exciting prize games, joined by Andrija Stipanović. At Renault, have fun in the 360 Camera Booth or guess how many basketballs are in the “Guess how many basketballs” game outside the arena. Spar invites you to Spar pong and the wheel of fortune, Ljubljanske Mlekarne will delight with their products, and WOOP! Slovenia challenges you to cornhole, where you can show off your accuracy.

The fun continues during the game! Participate in SPAR’s speed free-throw contest to showcase your speed and accuracy, or guess how many balls are in Cedevita’s game to win a large Cedevita package. Don’t miss the Cedevita fan cam, which might catch you on the big screen, or tackle Triglav’s obstacle course for thrilling challenges. At S.Oliver, try your hand at free throws and score a 100-euro voucher. Come and experience the true fan atmosphere in the Green Ring!

We also urge all fans to be seated in the arena at least 15 minutes before the game starts, as after the player introductions, during the singing of “Na vrhu nebotičnika,” we will all raise our fan scarves toward the arena ceiling together.

PRE-GAME QUOTES:

“We are hosting a Euroleague team in Ljubljana, one of the most attractive and best teams in our region. Partizan is the absolute favorite for Sunday’s game, especially considering our team’s situation. We are playing without Andrija Stipanović and Jaka Blažič, and this week Rok Radović also had some health issues, though he trained with the team for the first time on Friday, and we hope he’ll be ready for the game. Our situation is far from ideal, but we expect a well-filled arena and the support of our fans, and we need to show ourselves in the best possible shape. We’re certainly not in the best position, especially with Andrija’s absence being felt even more, as we only have 18-year-old Joan Beringer at the center position, who will have to face three players on Sunday who can play at an extremely high level with their quality. We’ll give our all and see what that brings us,” said the head coach of the Dragons’ senior team, Zvezdan Mitrović, ahead of Sunday’s clash with Partizan.

“A Euroleague team is coming to us, one that has shifted to a rhythm of one game per week during this period. Partizan has good players, and their roster is deep. I expect a tough game. We’ve had time to prepare for the game, so I expect a good game on Sunday,” said Danilo Tasić, who hit all four of his three-point shots en route to 16 points in the last game against SC Derby, ahead of Sunday’s match.

GAME PREVIEW:

On Sunday, we will witness a clash in Stožice between two teams that have already secured their spots in the AdmiralBet ABA League playoffs. Cedevita Olimpija remains in the race with Igokea for the final fifth place in the regular season, while Partizan is battling for positions one through three. Both teams recorded victories in the previous round, with the Ljubljana squad defeating SC Derby in Podgorica and Partizan beating Crvena Zvezda on their home court in Belgrade.

Last Thursday in Podgorica, the Ljubljančani convincingly defeated SC Derby with committed defensive play and inspired offense. Even in the second quarter, the hosts pulled ahead to 37:27, but a quick reaction from the Dragons followed, and with a turnaround, they ultimately secured a comfortable victory. Six players scored in double digits for Cedevita Olimpija, with Brynton Lemar leading the way with 20 points. Danilo Tasić finished with 16 points, Rok Radović added 13, Devin Robinson 12, and Aleksej Nikolić and DJ Stewart each scored 11. For the third time in this regional season, the Dragons’ squad reached at least 100 points in a game, hitting 14 three-pointers and missing only one of their 14 free throws. They also shone with assists, totaling 27 as a team.

Partizan, led from the bench by renowned head coach Željko Obradović, concluded their Euroleague season after the regular season. In 34 games, the Black-and-Whites recorded 16 wins but fell just short of the Play-in spots. They played their last Euroleague game on April 10, finishing the regular season with six losses in their final seven games. Partizan comes to Ljubljana with a streak of four wins in their last five regional league games, defeating Zvezda 85:77 on Monday.

Partizan’s most effective player in this regional season is Balša Koprivica, averaging 9.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Koprivica did not play in the last game against Zvezda, with Partizan’s top scorers being Sterling Brown (24), Tyrique Jones (15), and Brandon Davies (10).

The two teams faced off on the penultimate day of the old calendar year in Belgrade. Cedevita Olimpija was the better of the two opponents for most of the game in the Belgrade Arena. After 30 minutes of play, the Dragons held an 11-point lead (63:52), and in the final quarter, they led by as many as 14 points. Despite this, the hosts mounted a comeback, tying the score for the first time with two and a half minutes remaining in the final quarter, and then winning a tense finish. The final score was 78:76 in favor of Partizan. The most effective scorer for the green-and-orange squad was Brynton Lemar with 24 points. Aleksej Nikolić followed with 14 points, and Jaka Blažič added 11. For the Belgrade side, Duane Washington scored 18 points, and Carlik Jones added 15.

ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE, 29TH ROUND OF THE REGULAR SEASON

Stožice Arena (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Sunday, April 27, at 5:00 PM:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – PARTIZAN MOZZART BET (TV broadcast on Arena Sport Premium 1 and Kanal A)

STANDINGS:

LOOKING AHEAD:

After the home clash with Partizan, the Dragons have just one more game left in the regular season. The final round will bring the eternal Slovenian derby against Krka Novo Mesto in the Leon Štukelj Sports Hall, with the game scheduled for Saturday, May 3, at 7:00 PM.