Cedevita Olimpija defeated Igokea m 93–81 at Laktaši Sports Hall on Saturday in Round 4 of the first phase of the AdmiralBet ABA League. With their second regional win of the season, the Ljubljana side snapped a three-game losing streak and successfully concluded a three-game road trip.
Following a home defeat to Hapoel, a narrow loss at Pecara and another defeat in Riga, the Dragons returned to winning ways in Laktaši. The victory over Igokea m improved their regional record to 2–1 and ended a run of three consecutive away defeats against Igokea. It also marked Cedevita Olimpija’s first win in Laktaši under head coach Zvezdan Mitrović.
The Green and Orange now face two home games. On Wednesday at 18:30, they will host Le Mans Sarthe Basket at Arena Stožice in Round 4 of the BKT EuroCup regular season, seeking their first European win of the campaign. The game will feature an Old School Night theme, before Budućnost VOLI visit Stožice on Saturday. Tickets for both games are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com.
POST-GAME QUOTES:
Zvezdan Mitrović, Cedevita Olimpija head coach:
“This was my first win in Laktaši as Cedevita Olimpija’s head coach, and it came at a time when we were not the favourites. We have had a demanding run of away games, so I am even happier that we played with tremendous desire, fighting spirit and energy for all 40 minutes. Every player contributed. Despite numerous difficulties, including foul trouble and problems guarding their big men, our desire and aggression all over the court decided the game. Above all, I am happy for the guys. They work hard, they fight and they believe in what we are doing, so a win like this is a fitting reward for their efforts. Unfortunately, we are still missing players and do not have a full squad available, so it means a lot to me that we pulled together despite that. I picked up an injury myself, but I was able to coach until the final buzzer. Fortunately, it is only a minor injury. As I always say, it is better for the coach to get injured than a player.”
Miha Cerkvenik, Cedevita Olimpija player:
“We knew we were in for a tough game in Laktaši, which makes finishing a demanding road trip with a win like this even more satisfying. I am very happy with our response to the last two defeats and proud of the team. We played the right way, everyone knew their role and did their job. We stuck to our game plan, and that ultimately brought us the win.”
GAME REPORT:
Igokea made the stronger start and quickly took the initiative, but a Jordan Gainey layup drew the Dragons level at 18–18 late in the first quarter. The Ljubljana side then moved ahead, only for the hosts to tie the score at 23–23 before the end of the opening ten minutes.
Cedevita Olimpija started the second quarter with greater purpose, using a 13–5 run to open up a 36–28 lead. The hosts almost completely erased the reigning Slovenian champions’ advantage before halftime, but the Dragons went into the break leading 43–41.
The Ljubljana side came out focused in the second half, and a Gainey layup gave them their first double-digit lead of the game at 56–45. Matthew Hurt then capped a 15–4 opening run to extend the advantage to 58–45. Igokea responded with six unanswered points before Mitrović called a timeout to halt their momentum. The Dragons responded and restored a double-digit lead heading into the final quarter, 68–58.
Just over a minute and a half into the fourth quarter, Hurt scored through contact to put Cedevita Olimpija up 73–58. The hosts cut the deficit several times down the stretch, but the Dragons remained in control and comfortably closed out the win.
Anthony Cowan Jr. led Cedevita Olimpija with 21 points, adding four rebounds and four assists. Jordan Gainey contributed 16 points, five assists and four rebounds, while Urban Kroflič also reached double figures with 10 points. Miha Cerkvenik scored all nine of his points on three three-pointers and added five rebounds, while Rihards Lomažs and Matthew Hurt also finished with nine points apiece.
Head coach Zvezdan Mitrović sustained a calf injury in the second half. Despite the injury, the Dragons’ coach remained on the sidelines until the final buzzer. Fortunately, the injury is minor.
ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE – GROUP A, FIRST PHASE, ROUND 4
Laktaši Sports Hall (Laktaši, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Saturday, 17 October:
IGOKEA M – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA 81–93 (23–23, 18–20, 17–25, 23–25)
Cedevita Olimpija: Cowan Jr. 21, Radović 4, Gainey 16 (5 assists), Lomažs 9, Ustun, Blažič 4, Osifo 3, Cerkvenik 9 (5 rebounds), Hurt 9, Kroflič 10, Škara 6 (6 rebounds), Johnson 2.
GROUP A STANDINGS:
| # | Team | Played | Wins | Losses | Overall | +/- | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HKK Široki TT Kabeli | 3 | 3 | 0 | 235:216 | 19 | 6 |
| 2 | Cedevita Olimpija | 3 | 2 | 1 | 251:227 | 24 | 5 |
| 3 | Borac Mozzart | 3 | 2 | 1 | 270:264 | 6 | 5 |
| 4 | FMP | 3 | 2 | 1 | 235:235 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | Igokea m | 3 | 1 | 2 | 261:276 | -15 | 4 |
| 6 | Crvena zvezda Meridianbet | 2 | 1 | 1 | 190:181 | 9 | 3 |
| 7 | Slovan Bratislava | 2 | 1 | 1 | 179:179 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 | Budućnost VOLI | 2 | 1 | 1 | 168:173 | -5 | 3 |
| 9 | Cibona | 3 | 0 | 3 | 252:274 | -22 | 3 |
| 10 | Krka | 2 | 0 | 2 | 140:156 | -16 | 2 |
