Krka – Cibona
International - ABA League, Round 7
13/11/2023 - 18:00 CET
After a significant win in the first round of the ABA League against FMP at road, Krka suffered five consecutive defeats. They had a tough schedule that definitely had an impact on the poorer results. Krka is one of the clubs with the smallest budget in this competition, but they are well-coached. Gasper Okorn is doing an exceptionally good job and is always able to get the most out of his team. American player Isaiah Cousins has emerged as one of the leaders and particularly shone in the loss to Mornar when he scored 24 points. Leon Stergar is the most talented young player of Krka and is capable of disrupting opposing defenses when his three-point shooting is on point.
Cibona secured their first win in the ABA League last week at home against Mornar, with a final score of 73:72. This club is going through an unprecedented crisis. Financial problems are enormous, and players have not been paid for their work. Cibona looks more like an amateur than a professional club at the moment. However, the players are giving their maximum on the court and were rewarded for it last week. Tomislav Buljan, with 19 points and 13 rebounds, showed that he won't stay in Cibona for long as he is already above their level in terms of quality. Aleksandar Aranitovic is one of the important offensive options, but for any win in the ABA League at the moment, Cibona needs to perform above their realistic level.
In this game, Krka is a significant favorite. Their situation is stable, and they operate as a healthy club. On paper, they have a better roster than Cibona, while their coach Okorn is much more successful and experienced than his counterpart Jaksa Vulic on the other side. In the past, in Novo Mesto, they have known to win games against much larger regional clubs than Cibona. In this situation, when both teams are at 1-5, focus and motivation will be present on both sides. Although it is only the seventh round, the team that wins will be able to sleep more peacefully because the losing team will be very threatened in the battle to avoid relegation.