Sunday’s Showdown against Dubai in Stožice

The Cedevita Olimpija senior team will face Dubai on Sunday at 17.00 in Stožice Arena in the second round of the regular season of the AdmiralBet ABA League, aiming to secure their first win in the regional league this season. Tickets for the match are still available at vstopnice.olimpija.com!

After their trip to Serbia and Romania, where Cedevita Olimpija lost in the regional league against FMP Soccerbet in Železnik (62:75) but won in the EuroCup against U-BT Cluj-Napoca (93:86), the Dragons face another tough challenge. On Sunday at 17.00, they will host Dubai at Stožice in the second round of the AdmiralBet ABA League. Dubai, in their first round, defeated the reigning regional champions, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet, on their home court.

The Dragons returned to Slovenia from Romania on Thursday evening, and on Friday, they held their first practice session back in Stožice. Žiga Daneu is gradually returning to the court after a scary fall during the first regional league game in Železnik, which kept him out of the game in Cluj as he underwent additional medical tests in Slovenia that revealed he is fine. Lovro Gnjidić is still out due to illness, and additional tests on Friday will provide more clarity on how long his absence will last.

TICKET PURCHASE:

Tickets for the game are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com, Eventim Slovenia, and the Petrol Ticket online platform. You can also get tickets at all Petrol gas stations across Slovenia.

The box office and arena doors will open at 4:00 PM. The NLB ‘Fast Track’ entrance will again be available, allowing visitors with an NLB bank card to access Stožice more quickly.

In line with the “Green Five” initiative, all fans are encouraged to walk, bike, scooter, or use public transport to the game.

TV BROADCAST:

The game will be broadcast live on Arena Sport Slovenia 1 Premium, Kanal A, and VOYO. The pre-game show starts at 16.30 on Arena Sport 1 Premium, and at 16.40 on Kanal A and VOYO.

FAN ZONE:

The doors to Stožice will open at 16.00 on Sunday. In the fan zone, you’ll find the Cedevita Olimpija basketball hoop, face painting, and coloring books for the youngest fans. NK Olimpija will also be present, with activities including a chance to shoot on goal and purchase official gear. Children can enjoy pedal cars provided by Renault Slovenia, and there will be a mini electric car racetrack. Grosbasket will host basketball skill activities, and Woop Slovenia will provide a special event.

During one of the timeouts, two lucky fans who bought single tickets will win season tickets for all home games of the Dragons next season. There will also be prize games organized by Zavarovalnica Triglav and Heka, including the Triglav half-court shot and a separate Heka prize game.

The 6.Zmaj corner will also be active, and through the club’s mobile app, fans can participate in an exciting prize draw.

We encourage all fans to bring scarves in the Dragons’ colors to the game! At the start of the match, let’s raise our scarves and sing ‘Na vrhu nebotičnika’ to ensure Slovenia’s largest sports arena is filled with Cedevita Olimpija colors!

PRE-GAME QUOTES:

“We’ve watched many of Dubai’s games during the preparation period. Their team consists of very high-quality players, and it’s a serious project that is only getting stronger. Recently, they’ve signed players like Davis Bertans from the NBA and Isaiah Shaquille Taylor, who has played in the EuroLeague and also has NBA experience. It’s a mix of very talented players with experience in the regional league. With their first official game, their organization, good team management, and their budget, Dubai has proven to be one of the favorites at the top of the standings. The team plays one game a week, which means good rest and preparation. I believe we will face a strong team on the court that plays attractive basketball with many good shooters. Sunday’s game will be a great challenge for us. We’ll use the two days to prepare as best we can and give it our all. We need to be better defensively than we were in Romania and show a better offensive performance than we did in Železnik,” said head coach Zvezdan Mitrović, as his team prepares for two consecutive home games. “We have two very attractive home games ahead of us. Umana Reyer is one of the top teams in the Italian championship for the last ten years, and they always have big ambitions in the EuroCup. Anyone who loves basketball should come to Stožice for both games.”

“Everyone knows Dubai is a very good team, with many talented players with great individual quality. We’re expecting a very tough game. In the first round, they defeated Crvena Zvezda, the reigning champions and one of the favorites to win the title again, which proves how strong they are,” said Rok Radović before Sunday’s game in Stožice, also mentioning the upcoming game against Umana Reyer on Tuesday. “We have two tough home games ahead, and Umana Reyer has been one of the top EuroCup teams for years. These will be challenging games, and it’s definitely worth coming to support us!”

MATCH PREVIEW:

Dubai joined the regional league before the 2024/25 season, and the newly established team from the United Arab Emirates built quite a story over the summer. The team is led by former Ljubljana coach and player Jurica Golemac, and the roster includes several notable names. Standouts include Davis Bertans, who has NBA experience and played for the Dragons between 2010 and 2012, and Slovenian national team player Klemen Prepelič, who played for Cedevita Olimpija last season.

Other key players include Nate Mason and Awudu Abass, who, along with Prepelič, were top scorers in the first-round win against Crvena Zvezda (86:84), with Prepelič scoring 16 points, Mason 18, and Abass 17. Dubai started the game strong, and although Crvena Zvezda closed the gap in the second half, Dubai held their composure for a narrow victory. Former Dragon Codi Miller-McIntyre missed the last-second shot that would have given the Belgrade team the win.

Cedevita Olimpija will aim for their first regional league win of the season on Sunday in Stožice. The Dragons visited FMP last Sunday, leading after 20 minutes, but faltered in the second half, allowing the hosts to claim a 75:62 victory. However, Ljubljana showed a different face during their visit to Cluj-Napoca, overcoming several ups and downs to win a tight EuroCup game 93:86. This victory is the Dragons’ first EuroCup win of the season, setting a positive tone for the coming games.

ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE, ROUND 2

Stožice Arena (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Sunday, September 29, 17.00:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – DUBAI (Ticket purchase; TV broadcast on Arena Sport 1 Premium, Kanal A, and VOYO)

LOOKING AHEAD:

On Tuesday at 20.00, Ljubljana will face Umana Reyer Venice in the second round of the BKT EuroCup at Stožice. The game will feature a special Pre-Basket Party starting at 18.00 in front of Stožice. Tickets for the game are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com. After that, the team will travel to Bar, where they will face Mornar-Barsko zlato on October 5, followed by a trip to Turkey to play Turk Telekom on October 8.