Cedevita Olimpija opened the new BKT EuroCup season with a defeat. The Dragons fell to Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos 85:81 at Coliseum Burgos on Wednesday in the opening round of the regular season.
Cedevita Olimpija began their 2026/27 European campaign with an 81:85 loss away to Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos on Wednesday. The game at Coliseum Burgos marked the hosts’ first-ever appearance in the BKT EuroCup.
The Dragons return to European action in less than a week, hosting Hapoel Midtown Jerusalem at Stožice on Tuesday at 18:30. The Israeli side is considered one of the favourites to win the EuroCup title. Before then, Cedevita Olimpija will begin their regional campaign on Saturday, facing Cibona at Hala Tivoli in Round 2 of the first phase of the season. Tickets for both games are already available at vstopnice.olimpija.com.
POST-GAME QUOTES:
Zvezdan Mitrović, Cedevita Olimpija Head Coach:
“I’m happier with our performance than with the final result, because we had a chance to win at the end. This was the first time this season that we played with this lineup, as we struggled to get the team together for practices and games during preseason. There were good stretches and some less convincing ones, but overall we played much better than I expected. This is a completely new team, so I’m pleased.”
Matthew Hurt, Cedevita Olimpija player:
“We knew Burgos were a good team playing in a very strong league. They played really well against a EuroLeague team on Sunday, so we knew it was going to be a dogfight. The atmosphere in the arena was great, too. In the end, I think it came down to the 50–50 balls and finishing possessions on defence. That was what stood out to me most. We have a good group of guys. Even if we’re down by 10 or 15 points, we’re not going to give up. We’ll always try to find a way back into the game and fight until the end. I’m proud of the guys for the way we fought and got ourselves back into it.”
Urban Kroflič, Cedevita Olimpija player:
“Our first EuroCup game of the season didn’t end the way we wanted. Now we have to look ahead. We need to analyse the game, even though there isn’t much time before the next one. We have to keep practising, improve every day and get on the winning track on Saturday, when we host Cibona at Tivoli.”
GAME REPORT:
The Dragons opened the scoring in Burgos with a free throw from Urban Kroflič, before the hosts took control and built a lead of up to eight points in the first half. Zvezdan Mitrović’s team found a better offensive rhythm in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to a single point by halftime.
Cedevita Olimpija kept pace with the hosts after the break and took the lead on several occasions. The teams remained closely matched throughout, with Burgos holding a one-point advantage heading into the final ten minutes (60–59). Rihards Lomažs joined Matthew Hurt in leading the offence, and the Dragons remained in contention for victory right until the closing stages.
In a tense finish, DJ Steward tipped the balance in the hosts’ favour with a crucial three-pointer around 30 seconds from the end. Cedevita Olimpija came up just short, opening their European campaign with a defeat on the road in Spain.
Rihards Lomažs led Cedevita Olimpija with 22 points, while Matthew Hurt added 20. Anthony Cowan Jr. also finished in double figures with 15 points.
BKT EUROCUP – REGULAR SEASON, GROUP A, ROUND 1
Coliseum Burgos (Burgos, Spain), Wednesday, 30 September:
RECOLETAS SALUD SAN PABLO BURGOS – CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA 85:81 (25:21, 18:21, 17:17, 25:23)
Cedevita Olimpija: Cowan Jr. 15, Radović 3, Lomažs 22, Ustun, Houindo 2, Blažič, Osifo 2, Hurt 20, Kirkwood 4 (5 rebounds), Kroflič 5 (4 rebounds), Škara 8 (6 rebounds), Johnson.
