Cedevita Olimpija secured victory in their first official home game of the 2026/27 season. On Saturday, the Dragons defeated Zagreb’s Cibona 89–76 at Tivoli Hall in Round 2 of the first phase of the AdmiralBet ABA League, making a successful start to their regional campaign.
Following the postponement of their opening fixture against Krka, the Dragons began their regional campaign in front of their home fans. The Ljubljana side recorded their first ABA League victory of the new season against Cibona, also claiming their first win in an official game this season. Another demanding test awaits Cedevita Olimpija on Tuesday in the BKT EuroCup, when Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem visit Stožice. Tickets are already available at vstopnice.olimpija.com.
POSTGAME QUOTES:
Zvezdan Mitrović, Cedevita Olimpija head coach:
“This was a very important win for us, as we wanted to start our league campaign with a victory. We knew it would be a tough game. Cibona had already beaten us in preseason, so we were aware that they would be a very serious opponent given where we are at the moment. You can see for yourselves that some aspects of our game are already working, while others are not yet. Cibona are a strong team with good international players, and they are also competing in the Basketball Champions League this season. We had to put in a lot of energy and effort in the second half, particularly by playing more aggressively on defense. That ultimately brought us this very important win. We had a long journey back from Burgos and effectively had only one proper practice to prepare for Cibona. In the second half, we showed a much more focused and aggressive approach, especially with our on-ball defense, and that helped us secure the victory. Of course, there were still plenty of mistakes and misunderstandings in our play, but the most important thing is that we won. We are only at the beginning of the process. The players are showing desire and effort, but we will need quite a bit more time to put everything in place and reach the level of play and results we are aiming for.”
Anthony Cowan Jr., Cedevita Olimpija player:
“I think this is a huge win for us. We have worked really hard in practice, and although this was only our second game with this group, it feels like we have been together for a long time. It is good to see our work paying off. In the second half especially, we picked up the intensity and played much more aggressively, just as the coach had asked us to, and I think that brought us the win. It is important to start the ABA League with a victory, especially against a very good team like Cibona. Things did not go our way when we played them in preseason, so I am happy we were able to turn things around this time and get back to winning ways.”
GAME REPORT:
Fans at the historic home of Slovenian basketball witnessed a closely contested first half, with the teams trading the lead before heading into the break tied at 43–43. Cibona opened up a five-point advantage midway through the third quarter (56–51), but the Dragons then raised their level and took control. More aggressive defense and a 15–2 run turned the game in their favor, giving them a 66–58 lead heading into the final ten minutes.
The Ljubljana side’s energetic performance also brought the Tivoli crowd to life. With the fans behind them, the Dragons maintained the same intensity in the fourth quarter. They held on to their lead, extended their advantage and secured an 89–76 victory to make the best possible start to their regional campaign. It was also Cedevita Olimpija’s first win in an official game of the 2026/27 season.
Four Cedevita Olimpija players scored in double figures. Matthew Hurt led the way with 21 points, followed by Anthony Cowan Jr. with 18. Urban Kroflič added 14 points and Noah Kirkwood finished with 12.
ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE – GROUP A, ROUND 2 OF THE FIRST PHASE
Tivoli Hall (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Saturday, 3 October:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – CIBONA 89–76 (21–22, 22–21, 23–15, 23–18)
Cedevita Olimpija: Cowan Jr. 18, Radović 2, Lomažs 3 (5 assists), Houindo 3, Blažič 5, Osifo 2, Cerkvenik, Hurt 21, Kirkwood 12 (5 rebounds, 4 assists), Kroflič 14, Škara 5, Johnson 4.
GROUP A STANDINGS:
| # | Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Overall | +/- | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedevita Olimpija | 1 | 1 | 0 | 89:76 | 13 | 2 |
| 2 | Igokea m | 1 | 1 | 0 | 97:89 | 8 | 2 |
| 3 | HKK Široki TT Kabeli | 1 | 1 | 0 | 87:81 | 6 | 2 |
| 4 | Budućnost VOLI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 77:72 | 5 | 2 |
| 5 | Krka | 1 | 0 | 1 | 72:77 | -5 | 1 |
| 6 | Borac Mozzart | 1 | 0 | 1 | 81:87 | -6 | 1 |
| 7 | Slovan Bratislava | 1 | 0 | 1 | 89:97 | -8 | 1 |
| 8 | Cibona | 1 | 0 | 1 | 76:89 | -13 | 1 |
| 9 | Crvena zvezda Meridianbet | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FMP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 | 0 |
