Budućnost VOLI seek return to winning ways against ABA newcomers Slovan Bratislava

2026/27 AdmiralBet ABA League Regular Season Group A, Round 4, Sunday, 18 October 2026:

BUDUĆNOST VOLI – SLOVAN BRATISLAVA

Where? Morača Sports Hall, Podgorica

When? 16:00

Story of the Game: An interesting encounter awaits basketball fans in Podgorica on Sunday afternoon as Budućnost VOLI welcome AdmiralBet ABA League newcomers Slovan Bratislava to Morača Sports Hall. The home team will be looking to bounce back from their recent defeat in Belgrade, while the visitors hope to make a statement against one of the competition's traditional powerhouses.

Budućnost VOLI have experienced a mixed start to the new regional campaign. After opening the season with a hard-fought 77:72 road victory over Krka, the Podgorica side suffered a 91:101 defeat against Crvena zvezda Meridianbet in last weekend's Match of the Round. Andrej Žakelj's team will now be eager to return to winning ways in front of their supporters and improve their position in Group A.

Slovan Bratislava, meanwhile, have already shown that they can compete at this level despite being newcomers to the AdmiralBet ABA League. After opening their campaign with a competitive 89:97 road defeat against Igokea m:tel, Dejan Jakara's team bounced back in impressive fashion by defeating Cibona 90:82 in Zagreb last weekend, securing their first-ever victory in the competition. With their confidence boosted by this historic triumph, the Slovakian side now travel to Podgorica hoping to claim another valuable road victory against one of the league's best teams.

Sunday's clash will also feature several familiar faces returning to Podgorica. Slovan big man Zoran Nikolić was part of the Budućnost VOLI squad that famously won the ABA League championship in 2018, while Mateo Drežnjak also previously represented the Podgorica club. Their knowledge of the environment at Morača could prove valuable for the visitors as they prepare for one of their toughest challenges of the season.

Match-up in Focus: Justin Smith vs. Zoran Nikolić.

An exciting battle under the baskets awaits as Budućnost VOLI's Justin Smith goes up against former Podgorica favorite Zoran Nikolić. Smith brings athleticism, physical strength and energy to the home team's frontcourt. He was the best player of the Podgorica side last weekend in Belgrade when he posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Nikolić, meanwhile, has been one of Slovan Bratislava's key performers in the opening rounds, averaging 15 points and 6 rebounds per game.

Head-to-head score in ABA: In total 0:0.