On Monday, January 15th, Cibona will host KK Partizan Mozzart Bet as part of the 16th round of the AdmiralBet ABA League. It will be the first encounter this season where the Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall will be filled to it’s maximum capacity.
On the eve of the match, on Sunday, January 14th, Cibona and Partizan held a joint press conference at the Hotel Zonar, attended by representatives of both clubs – Željko Obradović, Dino Repeša, Danilo Anđušić, and Krešimir Radovčić.
A true basketball classic is expected in Zagreb, with a history dating back to the good old days when Cibona was at its peak. However, the motivation is not lacking among the Wolves today, as recognized by the fans themselves.
“We are all eagerly anticipating the tip-off and want to see where we stand against these EuroLeague teams. From the information I have, the arena is almost filled to the last seat. I think the audience has recognized our desire, will, and the good performances we have delivered in the regional and domestic leagues. Hopefully, they will be our real sixth player.” – were the opening words of Cibona’s coach, Dino Repeša.
Although Partizan enters the game as the favorite, Cibona’s team has shown great resilience and strength in matches where they entered as underdogs, securing some significant victories that marked this season. This round brings another significant challenge and opportunity for this team to prove itself and offer an interesting game for all basketball fans, especially Cibona’s, as Krešimir Radovčić is well aware.
“As for Partizan’s team, we all know what kind of team it is – a EuroLeague team fighting for the title of European champion. It is certain that a tough match awaits us. We will do everything and try to bring the game into uncertainty, hoping for a beautiful and interesting match for everyone.” – said Krešimir.
In the past week, Cibona played two domestic league matches, suffering a loss to Zabok and securing a victory against Bosco. The match against Belgrade rivals approached with minimal preparation due to time constraints. However, this does not mean there were no preparations, as emphasized by coach Repeša.
“Preparations for this match were like any other; we didn’t have too much time. With only two training sessions, we tried to prepare some segments of the game, both defensively and offensively, for tomorrow’s match. What is crucial is our individual responsibility in one-on-one defense, defensive rebounding, and defensive transition – to run below the ball and not allow the already quality opponent many easy points. Of course, it’s not all up to us; the opponent also has a say.” – Repeša concluded.
The match will take place on Monday, January 15th, at 6:00 PM at the Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall, with live broadcast on Arena Sport 1 channel.
