Showdown against Aris in Stožice Arena!

The senior team of Cedevita Olimpija will host Aris Thessaloniki in the 14th round of the BKT EuroCup regular season at Stožice Arena on Wednesday at 6:45 PM, aiming to secure an important win in the race for a playoff spot.

Cedevita Olimpija’s senior team returns to the court on Wednesday in the BKT EuroCup. The Dragons will continue the regular season at Stožice Arena, hosting Aris Thessaloniki at 6:45 PM, aiming for a crucial victory in the fight for a higher ranking and a spot among the top 12 teams in the competition.

Last week, due to previously known travel issues, the Dragons were unable to play their game against Lietkabelis in Panevėžys, which has been rescheduled for next week. The standings in Group B indicate that the battle for playoff spots will remain tight until the end of the regular season. Ahead of the 14th round, Valencia tops the standings with 11 wins and two losses, followed by Hapoel Jerusalem and Turk Telekom, both with 8 wins and 5 losses. Cedevita Olimpija currently holds 7 wins and 5 losses, just ahead of Cluj and Umana Reyer, both with the same number of wins but an additional loss. JL Bourg has 6 wins and 7 losses after 13 games.

TICKET PURCHASE

Tickets for the game are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com, Eventim Slovenia, and the Petrol Ticket platform. Fans can also purchase them at all Petrol gas stations across Slovenia.

The ticket office and arena doors will open at 5:45 PM. The NLB “Fast Entry” will once again be available, allowing quicker access to the arena for visitors presenting an NLB bank card.

As part of the “Green Five” project, we encourage all fans to walk, cycle, scooter, or use public transport to attend the game. Ticket holders can enjoy free rides on Ljubljana Public Transport buses three hours before and three hours after the game.

TV BROADCAST

The game will be broadcast live on Šport TV 1, with pre-match studio coverage starting at 6:00 PM.

FAN ZONE

Young fans can test their basketball skills with shooting challenges, while younger children can enjoy coloring activities featuring the Dragons. Renault Slovenia will once again provide pedal-car activities. First-time attendees will receive a special diploma for their first home game, available in the green section of the arena. Fans can also take photos with our mascot, Dragon Oli, at the photo wall.

The 6.Zmaj corner will also be active. Using the app, which you can download today, you can co-create the club’s profile and participate in an exciting prize game. At the game against Aris, we will award a trip to Dubai, organized by 6th Dragon and Kompas Travel Agency.

During the break between the third and fourth quarters, you can win an attractive prize from Zavarovalnica Triglav by successfully making a half-court shot. A Heka Supplements prize game will take place during the break between the first and second quarters. Telekom Slovenije will organize various games with attractive prizes as part of their shooting and skills challenge. During halftime, residents of the Malči Beličeve Youth Home, who are part of the “One Team” social responsibility project, will take to the court.

PRE-GAME QUOTES

“Aris has revamped their roster compared to our first encounter. The team now has a completely different concept than in October. I watched their recent game against Olympiacos, where they played well for 30 minutes, and their EuroCup game against Hapoel, where they fought until the end. The team is faster, more athletic, and more robust, allowing them to play much more aggressive defense. We’ll need to prepare well, give it our all, and stay focused from start to finish to win the game,” said head coach Zvezdan Mitrović.

“This is a very important game, and we’ve prepared well for it. The atmosphere in the arena during the game against Krka was excellent, and I hope just as many, if not more, fans will come and cheer even louder. We know we’ve entered a period where every game is a battle for the playoffs. We’ll take it game by game and do our best to secure key wins,” said Andrija Stipanović.

GAME PREVIEW

Aris is currently second to last in Group B with three wins after 13 games. One of these victories came in Round 12 when they defeated Lietkabelis in Thessaloniki (81:66), marking their second win over the Lithuanian team in the regular season. They also defeated JL Bourg (91:88). However, the Greeks have lost six of their last seven games. In the Greek league, they recently lost to EuroLeague team Olympiacos (77:88).

On Wednesday, we’ll see Aris’s Vassilis Toliopoulos, the third-highest scorer in the EuroCup, who averages 17.2 points per game. However, in their last game against Hapoel, he played just over 12 minutes and scored only six points. Aris held the lead for most of the game last week, but Hapoel turned it around in the fourth quarter. Sharife Cooper and Trey Woodbury scored 17 points each, while Darral Willis and LJ Figueroa added 16 apiece.

Last Sunday, Cedevita Olimpija opened 2024 with a thrilling win over Krka after overtime. Trailing 71:75 with 20 seconds left, Devin Robinson and Brynton Lemar forced overtime, with Lemar securing the 84:82 victory with 11.8 seconds left. Robinson and captain Jaka Blažič each scored 17 points, with Robinson grabbing 9 rebounds and Blažič adding 7. Rok Radović and Lemar each scored 10 points.

In the first meeting between the teams in October, Cedevita Olimpija secured a win after a brilliant second half. The Dragons dominated the fourth quarter in the legendary Nikos Galis Hall. Aris led 53:43 in the third quarter, but their lead melted away, and Cedevita Olimpija won the final quarter by 14 points, celebrating a victory at 82:75. Blažič led with 19 points, Robinson added 18, DJ Stewart scored 15, and Radović chipped in 10. Toliopoulos scored 17 for Aris, while Landers Nolley added 15.

BKT EUROCUP, ROUND 14

Stožice Arena (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Wednesday, January 8, 6:45 PM:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – ARIS MIDEA (TV broadcast on Šport TV 1)

LOOKING AHEAD

The clash against Aris is the second of three consecutive home games for the Dragons. On Sunday, they’ll host FMP Soccerbet, also at Stožice. On Monday, the team will hit the road for a series of four away games against Hapoel Jerusalem, Lietkabelis, Dubai, and JL Bourg.