After registering just one victory last season, the Slovenian side has already matched that total after the opening round in 2024-25
Cedevita Olimpija showed why it can 'start believing'
Article
3 Mins read
It might be just one win in the opening game of the season, but it felt a lot more than just that for Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana on Wednesday night.
On the road against U-BT Cluj-Napoca, a team which was 7-2 at BTarena during last year's regular season and reached the quarterfinals, Cedevita stunned the home crowd and came away with a very impressive 86-93 road win.
"We were not too optimistic," admitted Cedevita head coach Zvezdan Mitrovic afterward when asked how he was feeling prior to the game.
He had good reason to have some doubts entering Round 1 of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season, too.
Just three days earlier, Cedevita scored just 62 points in a 13-point loss in a domestic league road game against lowly FMP Zeleznik, a contest that also saw a 22-year-old center Ziga Daneu suffer a scary injury that shocked the team.
Then, there are the club's EuroCup ghosts of recent past.
Cedevita won just one game in the entirety of last season. It took until Round 16, against Veolia Hamburg Towers, for the Slovenian side to taste victory, meaning it had started the 2023-24 campaign with a painful 0-15 record. That triumph actually ended a 20-game losing streak in the EuroCup because Cedevita had lost its last five games of the 2022-23 season as well.
So, despite posting a 4-32 record over the last two seasons, Cedevita got its 2024-25 campaign to a flying start, beating last year's quarterfinalists on the road.
The scoring leader with 20 points in the opening game was Devin Robinson, while DJ Stewart had 13. Stewart, along with Jaka Blazic, was with the team through all the lows of the last season. But the rest of the roster, the newcomers led by Robinson, showed that those ghosts of the past are none of their business.
They did not fold when Cluj went on a 14-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters to turn a 64-71 deficit into a 78-71 lead, and the visitors did not shy away from the moment when Cluj went up by a point in the final minute.
Brynton Lemar netted 18 points on 4-or-7 three-point shooting, including one with a hand in his face 52 seconds before the final buzzer, to give Cedevita the lead for good. Devante Jones scored 15 points to go with 7 assists and 4 steals, and his triple with 13 seconds left sealed the win. Meanwhile, Aleksej Nikolic was 4 for 6 from downtown en route to 14 points, and his 3 threes helped Cedevita overcome a slow start and erase a slow deficit in the first half.
"We are happy for the win," said Mitrovic. "And especially for the team, which needs to start believing it can play at a high level."
Game Videos
- 03:41
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/08/AkjeNvDdIXdQQXgcITbLNeLsOKHhO1Rt-1728416015458.jpg]()
Turk Telekom Ankara-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 3 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/14675e47-3078-474f-9b1a-c1a45c3f5e09.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A77%3A31]()
Beringer with a follow-up slam! Magic Moment
- 04:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ef0b413b-05a4-443f-8609-d16c7e4df62d.jpg]()
Paris Basketball-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade| RS Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:26
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f96c12fa-4db2-4de1-be6e-1baaa7e24153.jpg]()
Bolomboy's big block! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 01:04
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/04/lU3cjjchds63vfIWyUeh1pjkQE7uiEdC-1728076839136.jpg]()
Nemanja Nedovic: 'TJ Shorts is a legit EuroLeague player'
- 03:40
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/02/8Ti2tM5pWK6VShQkzCFb3IWcV9cWwoTE-1727900909529.jpg]()
Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 2 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 03:40
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/01/Jidg3P3GtHtmMljDNPnzODqJZQMoDzPg-1727821951595.jpg]()
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-Umana Reyer Venice | Round 2 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/16934ad2-78fb-4d3c-aafb-8fe6f82592f7.jpg?crop=1247%3A701%3Anowe%3A42%3A36]()
Magic Moment: Stewart with the massive dunk!
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/b198f3b1-8712-4c35-a14c-2ffbfa2effce.jpg?crop=1176%3A661%3Anowe%3A54%3A66]()
Magic Moment: Ogbeide with the big stuff!
- 03:16
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/09/25/fvuSV7VRTndxYH7kKnN5u7OaPKvlqi7F-1727289697606.jpg]()
U-BT Cluj Napoca-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/b1097e5b-6aa7-424a-9a8d-14faca0767b1.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A112%3A145]()
Magic Moment: Massive dunk by Robinson!
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6a1fca7c-86cc-4ee6-9f81-36a1a0a32674.jpg]()
Magic Moment: Exciting Robinson-to-Beringer alley-oop!
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/DlZMfwLTv1s/maxresdefault.jpg]()
2023-24 EB ANGT Finals Berlin Round 2 Highlights: U18 FC Barcelona-U18 Overtime Elite
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/F16kLM2ZpLg/maxresdefault.jpg]()
2023-24 EB ANGT Paris Round 2 Highlights: U18 PFBB INSEP Paris-U18 Panathinaikos Athens
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/k55UvF29TSU/maxresdefault.jpg]()
2023-24 EB ANGT Dubai Round 2 Highlights: U18 Virtus Segafredo Bologna-U18 Next Gen Team Dubai
- 03:51
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/03/13/iOJpzqtS6sxVogjU3plqthjkrB1CMXHG-1710358797738.jpg]()
U-BT Cluj-Napoca-London Lions | Quarterfinals Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:22
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d00a25ad-0bf5-4334-a5c9-7d0cd6c45bd2.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A152%3A140]()
Magic Moment: Bryce Jones makes an impossible finish
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/51bddb1d-4e55-40d4-ac2a-136173f52233.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A248%3A105]()
Magic Moment: Dekker beats the quarter buzzer
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/kt1B4kVvk1U/maxresdefault.jpg]()
2023-24 EB ANGT Belgrade Round 2 Highlights: U18 Partizan Belgrade-U18 FC Barcelona
- 03:45
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/02/07/hDJr2JqJDX0DqNlVo6zJhadlNdw2Rzr8-1707343357293.jpg]()
Paris Basketball-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:51
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/02/07/ZiFPm9hTKUCp0DsaVeioXo3DkvSPG9Zj-1707334000314.jpg]()
7-Bet Lietkabelis Panevezys-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 18 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/17b28ab7-f8bc-437e-b4b9-69c5bf69a624.jpg?crop=815%3A458%3Anowe%3A59%3A103]()
Magic Moment: Adam Mokoka with a huge dunk!
- 01:03
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/02/01/WBDrTnV5fnfYhxICoxEUjGmcLTcGW7fQ-1706775913193.jpg]()
Emanuel Cate | Round 17 MVP | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:38
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/31/h88bUTrUMpr0HhHwicIpDz0hfnZuOT17-1706741051592.jpg]()
Dreamland Gran Canaria-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 17 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/541df698-5576-4f66-a33d-566710b0fd35.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A141%3A242]()
Magic Moment: Cate tips in the game winner
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/84909519-d5ea-4143-9b20-2ccc563e7d16.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A146]()
Magic Moment: Cate swats Brussino
- 03:43
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/31/mGPrgbIqaB4jk66z8rsOnb1xgwNUI3xM-1706730966510.jpg]()
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-London Lions | Round 17 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/013df882-deea-4de3-9429-8d35e64da907.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A138%3A21]()
Magic Moment: Matkovic hammers home in traffic
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/68a011e8-6966-4e42-954a-f6e3099ab7e7.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A91%3A30]()
Magic Moment: Matkovic erases the shot
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/5e4e21e3-7822-41f2-9bb2-bc6da8cd9e19.jpg?crop=2691%3A1513%3Anowe%3A132%3A73]()
Magic Moment: Matkovic swats Morgan’s shot
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/weziXTJ_5ww/maxresdefault.jpg]()
2023-24 EB ANGT Podgorica Round 2 Highlights: U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-U18 Real Madrid
- 03:44
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/24/pASbqCq2k93IPrwwd0fLeoOhzXCipfS6-1706129355981.jpg]()
Veolia Towers Hamburg-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 16 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:35
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/23/GB9x90kMK0aixrBRobehFkJzvfrTE1Qz-1706038582482.jpg]()
U-BT Cluj-Napoca-Dolomiti Energia Trento | Round 16 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:52
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/17/D2jSdHKPXfo1YFJsosEGxjg2bfwn4CCZ-1705525723877.jpg]()
ratiopharm Ulm-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 15 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 04:01
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/17/zTlgneaBYYJ14n1ckrWSbhEhrinzDoXa-1705521625839.jpg]()
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-Umana Reyer Venice | Round 15 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/013df882-deea-4de3-9429-8d35e64da907.jpg?crop=1138%3A640%3Anowe%3A77%3A27]()
Magic Moment: Another big alley-oop slam by Matkovic!
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/aca4499b-669c-47ea-88d3-81d1fe6afbac.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A248%3A170]()
Magic Moment: Matkovic with the big alley-oop slam!
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e20d8497-2c24-4e04-a98c-772b83b3747e.jpg?crop=1294%3A728%3Anowe%3A56%3A106]()
Magic Moment: Matkovic with the reverse jam!
- 04:00
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/10/xcq3fTwqW3TUDMPcB6hQtyLh7M4KqWOb-1704916250046.jpg]()
U-BT-Cluj-Napoca-Aris Midea Thessaloniki | Round 14 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:49
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/01/09/aQw6dSYmCj8yBueIpMeXYUk6MoidxfHZ-1704827964634.jpg]()
Wolves Vilnius-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 14 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/17c36bdf-84cb-49b7-8760-e6d9e11d86e7.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A126%3A15]()
Magic Moment: Matkovic high-rising block
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/b5dfc9d0-da0b-420b-88a9-324552d0b0b9.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A146]()
Magic Moment: Dragic to Matkovic inbound alley-oop
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/fc749adb-adc2-4545-9b21-0a3ed7fba7f4.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A150%3A65]()
Magic Moment: Cobbs to Matkovic alley-oop
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e20d8497-2c24-4e04-a98c-772b83b3747e.jpg?crop=1231%3A692%3Anowe%3A103%3A113]()
Magic Moment: Matkovic's big slam
- 03:49
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/12/27/PTqVJ2QQ8q4Hj5YjdUL2cQ2W84amUj0w-1703709889150.jpg]()
Buducnost VOLI Podgorica-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 13 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:53
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/12/27/UwaQpsdPz0QwFRlCmORCRD3VhsOfAlnV-1703704987371.jpg]()
Prometey Slobozhanske-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 13 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6be433ec-92bb-4143-8fa3-f67518a45cc7.jpg?crop=1563%3A879%3Anowe%3A834%3A461]()
Magic Moment: Jones's put-back dunk
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/efea590a-04de-4ceb-8b70-e0eb0fda887a.jpg?crop=1109%3A624%3Anowe%3A134%3A54]()
Magic Moment: Blazic to Matkovic alley-oop
- 03:42
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/12/19/HjgzTeImguw6yAl4WqFhu69OttsSJRCu-1703015842250.jpg]()
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul | Round 12 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 03:42
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/12/19/6AZ29Z5OiKOtr33z8rPBWdhOD0WE4LLj-1703023777250.jpg]()
U-BT Cluj-Napoca-Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse| Round 12 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
Mitrovic, a EuroCup champ with AS Monaco just three years ago, took over Cedevita during the summer and might not feel the burden of the last two seasons, but even he acknowledged that this outcome meant a little more to this club.
"It was very important for our team to start with a victory," he commented.
Now, the next challenge is to win at home. Cedevita was 0-9 on its home floor last season and has lost 11 home games in a row in the EuroCup. The last team it beat at home, in February 2023, was Umana Reyer Venice, which just happens to be Cedevita's next opponent on Tuesday night.