Match of the round: Cedevita host Budućnost VOLI in ABA League opener

The 2016/17 ABA League opener will already be a true spectacle, since two powerhouses of regional basketball, Cedevita and Budućnost VOLI, the semi-finalists of last season, will battle one against another for the first pair of points.

ABA League 1st round, Thursday, 29.10.2016:

CEDEVITA – BUDUĆNOST VOLI

Where? Dom sportova, Zagreb

When? 19:00

Story of the game: It will be a battle against all traditions in the derby of the opening round of the new ABA League season, for Budućnost VOLI, playing on the road in Zagreb. Not only has Budućnost VOLI had a negative record during the history of the regional league against the team from Zagreb (trailing by 11:8 in total and by 8:1 at the games in Zagreb), but they have already had recent negative experience against the vitamins.

During the preseason the teams, that both reached the ABA League playoffs last season, played two mutual games and Cedevita won both. Cedevita were better with the score of 89:66 in Sarajevo and 78:68 later in Zadar.

Taking into account the whole preseason period, one could argue that Cedevita are undisputed favourites, since they won 75% of their preseason games (6:2 win/defeat ratio) and Budućnost on the other side won only 33% (3/6).

However, the poor ratio of Budućnost also comes as a consequence of their numerous injury problems this September, which are currently getting better. They are likely to miss only Suad Šehović and Nemanja Gordićthis time around. Cedevita will play without Toni Katić.

Match-up in focus: The two big men that played for European powerhouses like Real Madrid and Maccabi Tel Aviv, to name just two of them, will battle in the paint this time. Mirza Begić will try to overpower Shawn James on the court of Dom sportova. Who will be the most efficient this time around and who will lead his team to victory?

Head to head in regional league: In total 11:8; In Zagreb 8:1