Olimpija win 19th national basketball championship title
Domžale, 1 June - Cedevita Olimpija won their 19th national basketball championship by sweeping the final series against Helios Suns of Domžale. It is the second national championship for the Ljubljana club in a row and a third trophy this season, after the supercup and the national cup.
Ljubljana
Cedevita Olimpija basketball club.
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
The final series ended in Domžale on Tuesday evening as Cedevita Olimpija defeated the hosts 101:81 to win the series with three wins to none, which is the second season in a row that the perennial champions swept the final series.
It was meanwhile the fifth appearance in the national championship finals for Helios Suns, who won two titles in the process - against Olimpija in 2007 and against Zlatorog in 2016.
The most valuable player of the final series was Olimpija's Alen Omić, who had his best statistical showing precisely in the title-clinching match, scoring 16 points and pulling down 14 rebounds.
"This title means a lot to me and is a fine incentive for the future. We knew all along that we were better than Helios Suns, but we didn't want to underestimate them. We are leaving for well-deserved holidays," Omić told reporters after the win.
Cedevita Olimpija head coach Jurica Golemac added that "although we won 3:0, the series was not easy. Helios Suns is a well organised team that never gave up, so we had to give our best. It is the difference in quality that took us to the title."
Dejan Jakara, the head coach of the losing team, said that the final series was "a reward for the excellent season, and above all for our loyal fans who have followed and supported us all the time."