Krka have done first practice ahead of the new season

Preparations will take place in Novo mesto. Before the start ofthe ABA League (starting on October 6 away against Partizan), the team will play eight games, including the Supercup scheduled for September 23 in Polzela, where they will face Cedevita Olimpija.

At the first training session, the team was greeted by club president Andraž Šuštarič, who wished them a successful and prosperous season.

Niko Bačvić, Jaka Klobučar, and Žak Smrekar will continue their careers in Krka jersey. New additions to the team include: guard Jan Rebec (from Široki TT Kabeli), power forward Lovro Urbiha (Kansai Helios Domžale), Croatian center Lovro Buljević (KK Mornar), forward Urban Oman (ECE Triglav Kranj), American center Sukhmail Mathon (M Basket – Delamode Mazeikiai), Slovak point guard Mario Ihring (GTK Gliwice), power forward Leon Šantelj (KK Kvarner), and American shooting guard Victor Bailey Jr. (Niners Chemnitz). Several young players have also joined the senior team.

Head coach Dejan Jakara will continue to be assisted by Domen Zevnik and Leon Stipaničev, while physical conditioning will be overseen by trainer Janez Konjar.

“The feeling at the start of preparations is excellent, especially when looking at all these guys we truly believe in,” said head coach Dejan Jakara. “I’m very satisfied with the players we’ve managed to bring to Novo mesto. We’ve assembled a modern, dynamic, fast, tough, and certainly taller team than last year, though somewhat less experienced. I want us to maintain a strong offense — last year, Krka was among the top eight offensive teams in the league for the first time in a while — but we need to improve our defense and get more inside plays on offense.”

“Our preparations are well planned. We know what lies ahead, and during this period, our team will face various basketball styles. Our goal is to play to the fullest in every game — both in the preseason and during the regular season. It’s difficult to set concrete goals. We are aware that the ABA League is extremely strong. But if I were to say that Krka’s goal is simply to stay in the league, I’d be underestimating my players. We’re fighting to give our best every time and to help our players learn to show that consistently,” added Jakara, who felt strong support from the local community and fans in Leon Štukelj Sports Hall last season.

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Prvi trening nove sezone za Krko

Košarkarji Krke so začeli s pripravami na novo sezono. Ekipa pod taktirko trenerja Dejana Jakare je že opravila prvi trening.

Priprave bodo potekale v Novem mestu. Do začetka nastopa v Ligi ABA (6. oktobra v gosteh proti Partizanu) jih čaka osem tekem, vključno s superpokalom, ki bo na sporedu 23. septembra na Polzeli, kjer bo nasprotnik Cedevita Olimpija.

Zbrane je na prvem treningu uvodoma pozdravil predsednik kluba Andraž Šuštarič, ki je ekipi zaželel srečno in uspešno sezono.

V dresu Krke svojo kariero nadaljujejo Niko Bačvić, Jaka Klobučar in Žak Smrekar. Novinci v ekipi so: branilec Jan Rebec (iz Širokega TT Kabeli), krilni center Lovro Urbiha (Kansai Helios Domžale), hrvaški center Lovro Buljević (KK Mornar), krilni košarkar Urban Oman (ECE Triglav Kranj), ameriški center Sukhmail Mathon (M Basket – Delamode Mazeikiai), slovaški organizator igre Mario Ihring (GTK Gliwice), krilni center Leon Šantelj (KK Kvarner) ter ameriški branilec–strelec Victor Bailey Jr. (Niners Chemnitz). Delu članske ekipe se je priključilo še nekaj mladih košarkarjev.

Trenerju Dejanu Jakari bosta še naprej asistirala Domen Zevnik in Leon Stipaničev, za fizično pripravo ekipe pa bo skrbel trener Janez Konjar.

"Občutki na začetku priprav so odlični, sploh ob pogledu na vse te fante, v katere resnično verjamemo. Zelo sem zadovoljen z igralci, ki smo jih uspeli pripeljati v Novo mesto. Sestavili smo moderno, dinamično, hitro, čvrsto in vsekakor višjo ekipo kot lani, a tudi nekoliko manj izkušeno. Želim si, da ohranimo dober napad – lani je bila Krka po dolgem času spet med osmimi najboljšimi ekipami lige v napadu – popraviti pa moramo obrambo in v napadu spraviti več žog pod koš," je uvodoma povedal trener Dejan Jakara.

"Priprave smo dobro načrtovali. Vemo, kaj nas čaka, v tem času pa se bo naša ekipa soočila z različnimi stili košarke. Naš cilj je, da na vsaki tekmi odigramo na polno – tako v pripravah kot med sezono. Težko pa je postavljati konkretnejše cilje. Zavedamo se, da je Liga ABA izjemno močna. A če bi rekel, da je cilj Krke obstanek, bi s tem podcenil svoje fante. Borimo se, da vsakič damo maksimum in da se igralci naučijo to redno izkazovati," je še dodal Jakara, ki je v lanski sezoni začutil močno podporo okolja in tribun v Športni dvorani Leona Štuklja.