Showdown againt Crvena zvezda in Belgrade

The players of Cedevita Olimpija are entering a very challenging week, during which they will play three games in six days. On Monday at 19.00, in the seventh round of the regular season of the AdmiralBet ABA League, they will face the reigning champions, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet, at Aleksandar Nikolić Hall.

Cedevita Olimpija is facing a demanding week marked by three games in six days. The Dragons will play two away games and one at their home court in Stožice. The first test for the Green-Orange team will be on Monday at 19.00, when they will travel to face the reigning league champions and EuroLeague participants, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet, in the legendary Aleksandar Nikolić Hall, also widely known as ‘Pionir.’

The team will travel to Belgrade without head coach Zvezdan Mitrović, who is still recovering from back surgery. Bine Prepelič has returned to training after a head injury and is practicing without restrictions, while Brynton Lemar continues with individual training. Lemar is scheduled for a medical check-up on Wednesday, after which it will be determined when he can rejoin team practices.

PRE-GAME STATEMENTS:

“We are in a specific situation, as we will play three games in the next six days. Therefore, we’ve adjusted our training process over the last few days to prepare for the entire week. In the game against Crvena zvezda, we want to show a different energy, and we’ve been working on that in recent days as we prepare for the challenges against Zvezda, JL Bourg, and Zadar. Crvena zvezda is a very experienced team and, as with every season, definitely a favorite to win the regional league title. The core of the team is always made up of local players, complemented by strong foreign players. I expect a better game and performance from us, with different energy compared to the last two games, and also a response to the cheering we’ll face at Pionir,” said coach Đorđe Adžić before departing for the away game in Belgrade.

“After two consecutive losses, we have been watching a lot of footage recently, trying to improve as a team and especially focusing on our own game. We are ready to go to Belgrade and perform at a higher level. We have three games in six days ahead of us, but that’s part of the game schedule. It’s a challenging period, but we have to do everything we can to secure new victories,” said DJ Stewart before heading to Belgrade.

TV BROADCAST:

The game will be broadcast starting at 6:50 PM on Arena Sport Slovenia 1, and on Kanal A. The match will also be available for online streaming on VOYO Slovenia.

GAME PREVIEW:

Cedevita Olimpija enters the game against the regional league champions after two consecutive losses, one in the AdmiralBet ABA League against Budućnost VOLI and another in the BKT EuroCup against Hapoel Jerusalem, both at home. The path back to winning form will be even more challenging as they travel to face a team that had a strong start in the EuroLeague season but recently experienced a series of losses. In the regional league, Zvezda has won four out of six games.

In the game against Budućnost, the scoreboard in Stožice read 91:71 in favor of the Podgorica team, and the match against Hapoel Jerusalem ended with a 94:83 win for the visitors. In the regional league match, DeVante Jones was the Green-Orange’s top scorer with 18 points, while Jaka Blažič scored 15 against Hapoel.

Before these last two losses, the Dragons had won three of their previous four games. They have a record of four wins and two losses in the EuroCup, while in the regional league, their record after six games is reversed.

Crvena Zvezda is also coming off a tough week with two close losses in the EuroLeague. They lost to Žalgiris (84:86) and Panathinaikos (77:81). In Kaunas, Red-Whites lost after Bryant Dunston scored the game-winner for Žalgiris in the closing seconds. In their home game against Panathinaikos, Zvezda led by 14 points in the third quarter before the Greek team shifted gears to win. Zvezda had started the EuroLeague season strongly, winning their first three games against Paris, Baskonia, and Fenerbahçe before suffering four consecutive losses.

Joel Bolomboy has been Zvezda’s most efficient player this EuroLeague season, though he’s currently out due to injury. Following him is former Dragon Codi Miller-McIntyre, averaging 8.1 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. Other players scoring over ten points per game include Nemanja Nedović (11.5), Nikola Kalinić (11.1), and Isaiah Canaan (10.7). Nedović, who has played in four games, is the team’s most efficient player in the regional league, averaging 14.8 points per game.

ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE, ROUND 7

Basketball Hall Aleksandar Nikolić (Belgrade, Serbia), Monday, November 4, 19.00:
CRVENA ZVEZDA MERIDIANBET – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA (TV broadcast on Arena Sport Slovenia 1 and Kanal A)

STANDINGS:

LOOKING AHEAD:

After the match with Crvena Zvezda, Cedevita Olimpija will return to Ljubljana for a home game in the seventh round of the BKT EuroCup against JL Bourg, with additional activities planned for Student Night. More information on Student Night can be found at THIS LINK, and tickets are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com. Following the game against last season’s EuroCup finalists, Ljubljana’s team will travel to Zadar, where they will face the local team on Saturday at 5:00 PM.