Cedevita Olimpija - 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys
Cedevita Olimpija’s senior team will aim for their third victory in the new EuroCup season on Tuesday at 18.30 in Arena Stožice as they host 7Bet-Lietkabelis in the fourth round of the BKT EuroCup. The Dragons enter the game with a win over Split in the fourth round of the AdmiralBet ABA League, and after last week’s loss in Ankara, they will look to get back on the winning track and secure their third victory.
Cedevita Olimpija will continue to play without Brynton Lemar, who has entered the second phase of his rehabilitation following a foot injury, and head coach Zvezdan Mitrović will also be absent due to ongoing back health issues. After Friday’s procedure in Munich, Mitrović will return to Ljubljana this week but has remained in constant communication with the rest of the coaching staff during his absence.
TICKET PURCHASE:
Tickets for the game are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com, Eventim Slovenia, and Petrol Ticket online platform. They can also be purchased at any Petrol gas station across Slovenia.
The box office and doors to the arena will open at 5:30 p.m. once again, the NLB ‘Fast Entry’ will be open, allowing faster access to the Stožice arena for visitors who present an NLB bank card at the entrance.
In line with the Green Five project, we urge all fans to walk, cycle, use a scooter, or take public transportation to the game. Those with tickets can ride for free on Ljubljana public transport buses three hours before and three hours after the game.
TV BROADCAST:
The live television broadcast of the game against Umana Reyer will be available on Šport TV 1, with the studio part of the broadcast starting at 5:45 p.m. The game will also be streamed online on Euroleague TV.
FAN ZONE:
On Tuesday, in honor of #PinkOctober, all ladies will have free entry to Stožice! Europa Donna Slovenia is traditionally marking Pink October, the international month of breast cancer awareness, raising public awareness about healthy living, early detection, and treatment options. This year, the Ljubljana club will once again join Pink October, with the Dragon family donning pink hues!
The game will begin at 18.30, and as part of #PinkOctober, the players will warm up in pink shirts before the game. Cedevita Olimpija’s official dance group, Green Ladies, will also join the campaign, as will mascot Zmajček Oli. Fans can use the code ZMAJ20 to get a special discount on items from Europa Donna Slovenia’s online store. In the fan zone before the game, everyone will find a stand from Europa Donna Slovenia, where they can learn more about the importance of early breast cancer detection.
Young fans will once again be able to test their basketball skills by playing and shooting hoops, while the younger ones can express their creativity with coloring pages featuring the Dragons. Renault Slovenia will again provide pedal car activities, and more competitive fans can race their friends with electric cars. Woop Slovenia will add excitement to the fan zone with a game of Corn Hole.
In the fan zone, season ticket holders can once again pick up their season tickets for all Cedevita Olimpija home games in the 2024/25 season. Season tickets can be collected in the area opposite the official store in the green section of the arena.
The 6th Dragon corner will also be active, where fans can use the app to engage with the club and participate in exciting prize games.
All fans are encouraged to bring their green-and-orange scarves to the game! At the start of the game, let’s all raise our scarves, sing “Na vrhu nebotičnika,” and fill the largest sports arena in Slovenia with the colors of Cedevita Olimpija!
PRE-GAME STATEMENTS:
“On Tuesday, we face a challenge against a team that deserves respect, even though Lietkabelis started the season with three losses. They are a young team, made up of young Lithuanian players who may be unknown to the wider sports audience, complemented by some experienced players. Lietkabelis plays extremely aggressive defense, and our opponents tend to switch a lot on the defensive side without losing their aggressiveness. We must get used to this, adapt, and play very smart offensively. In attack, they like to shoot and use their big players in the low post, while also moving a lot without the ball, which allows them to create opportunities for offensive rebounds. For us, it’s important to control this style of play and build our attack against their aggressive defense,” said assistant coach Đorđe Adžić ahead of Tuesday’s game, inviting fans: “I want to thank the fans for their support in the game against Split. I invite them to join us in large numbers at Stožice. Their support is extremely important to us, and our job is to earn that support during Tuesday’s game and throughout the season.”
“We started the season somewhat cautiously, but as we get to know each other as a team, we are playing better. We’re trying to learn a lot during the games themselves and improve our performance ‘live.’ To win on Tuesday against Lietkabelis, we must stay focused on our principles. We have a plan we need to follow. We need to step on the court with energy and keep improving for the rest of the season,” said Derek Ogbeide after Monday’s practice. Ogbeide scored 10 points in the EuroCup game against Turk Telekom, and against Venezia, he added five rebounds to his six points. In the AdmiralBet ABA League, he scored 17 points against Mornar and 11 against Split. Derek also invites Cedevita Olimpija fans to Tuesday’s game: “We definitely want loud support from the stands at Stožice on Tuesday, as it fills us with energy, and we draw strength from the fans’ cheering. Every bit of support from the stands is important for us, as it helps us play even better.”
GAME PREVIEW:
Basketball fans in Stožice will witness a matchup between teams currently in fifth and ninth place in Group B. Cedevita Olimpija holds two wins and one loss after three games, while Lietkabelis has lost all three of their opening games this season. The teams last met in the EuroCup in the 2022/23 season, with both victories going to Lietkabelis.
The Lithuanian team started this season with losses to Turk Telekom in Ankara (66:72) and home defeats against Hapoel Jerusalem (74:94) and Aris (74:92). Coached by Serbian head coach Nenad Čanak, with a roster that includes former Cedevita Olimpija player Andrija Stipanović, Lietkabelis will certainly be highly motivated to secure their first EuroCup win against the Ljubljana club.
Lietkabelis is performing much better in the Lithuanian league, where they have won three out of four games, with their only loss coming in the last round against Rytas (67:84). Martynas Varnas scored 12 points, and Dovis Bičkauskis added 11.
Lietkabelis has two players averaging over ten points per game in the EuroCup: Georgios Kalaitzakis (12.0 ppg) and Marko Pecarski (10.3 ppg). Despite having the league’s lowest-scoring offense (71.3 ppg), Lietkabelis excels in offensive rebounding, averaging 12 per game. Rebounding has been a challenge for Cedevita Olimpija this season, as they have yet to out-rebound any opponents in the EuroCup, though they were better in the AdmiralBet ABA League games against Mornar and Split.
In their most recent game against Split, the Ljubljana team secured a sweet victory in Tivoli with a 76:74 win. Devin Robinson hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer, scoring 20 points, along with five assists and four rebounds. Aleksej Nikolić contributed 17 points, hitting five three-pointers, followed by Derek Ogbeide and DeVante Jones, who each scored 11 points, and captain Jaka Blažič with 10. This was the Dragons’ second consecutive win in the regional league.
BKT EUROCUP, REGULAR SEASON ROUND 4
Arena Stožice (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Tuesday, October 15, at 18.30:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – 7BET-LIETKABELIS PANEVEŽYS (TV broadcast on Šport TV 1)
LOOKING AHEAD:
After Tuesday’s home game against Lietkabelis, Cedevita Olimpija will stay briefly in Ljubljana before traveling to Laktaši, where they will face Igokea m
on Friday at 17.00 in the fifth round of the regular season of the AdmiralBet ABA League. They will then return to the Slovenian capital before heading to Greece, where they will play against Aris on Wednesday at 19.00 Cedevita Olimpija will return to the home court on Sunday, October 27, to host Budućnost VOLI in Stožice.
