ADRIATIC LEAGUE – Olimpija, Hemofarm in fine fettle

LJUBLJANA (Adriatic League) - There aren't many complaints being heard this season at Union Olimpija or KK Hemofarm STADA.
 
Slovenian giants Olimpija, and Serbian outfit Hemofarm, are setting the early pace in the Adriatic League with four wins in five games.
 
Olimpija are also 2-0 in the Euroleague and host Panathinaikos on Thursday night.
 
They had the ideal tune-up for that game with a confidence-boosting 75-73 home triumph over Partizan Belgrade on Sunday.
 
Two late free-throws from Saso Ozbolt gave the Slovenians a 74-73 lead over Partizan in the final minute and another from Kevinn Pinkney sealed the two-point triumph.
 
Partizan had led 66-54 midway through the fourth quarter but weren't able to slam the door shut on the side that's coached by former national team boss Jure Zdovic.
 
Vlado Ilievski ended up with a game-high 18 points while Pinkney scored 17.
 
Zdovic is now looking forward to his side’s next Euroleague game.
 
"We are having a well-known team coming to Ljubljana on Thursday, coached by a legend of the bench,” Zdovc said.
 
“It will be a great honor for us that they meet us in our new arena that will be packed to the rafters, so it will become our sixth player in our effort against Panathinaikos.
 
“In such an atmosphere, it is always easier for the players, at least it was for me.”
 
Partizan, who suffered their third defeat in five Adriatic League games, will host Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday.
 
Hemofarm, meanwhile, also won impressively in the Adriatic League, but they did so on the road.
 
The Vrsac team overcame a 36-point performance from Dontaye Draper to win 97-89 at Cedevita.
 
There are six teams hot on the heels of Olimpija and Hemofarm in the Adriatic competition with 3-2 records.
 
They are Buducnost, Krka, Cibona, Zagreb, Nymburk and Cedevita.
 
Red Star Belgrade are the only team that is yet to win a game.
 
They are 0-5.
 
Week five results: Siroki 69 Buducnost 61, Zagreb 77 Cibona 87, Nymburk 57 Krka 77, Red Star 76 Zadar 89, Radnicki 71 Igokea 78.
 
FIBA