February 09, 2012
Union Olimpija team profile
Union OlimpijaWhen a country of 2 million people generates as many great players as Slovenia, there has to be some magic at work. In the capital of Ljubljana, the magicians wear the green of Union Olimpija, and talent is not their only trick. Basketball tradition, know-how and competitiveness mix to assure that one of the Euroleague's smallest-market clubs is a regular among the very biggest names around. Olimpija always fights with the best of them, but has not bee able to advance to the Top 16 for the last three years and comes off a rare title-free season, its first since Slovenia became independent in 1991. Over the years, Olimpija has thrilled its fans as the proverbial little team that on the right night could knock out even the most powerful clubs on the continent. That reputation goes way back to when Olimpija dominated one of the world's emerging basketball hotbeds with six Yugoslavian League titles between 1957 and 1970. A new era began with Slovenia's independence, when Olimpija's dominance took on another meaning – namely 10 consecutive years of winning both the league and cup trophies in Slovenia. During that run, in 1993-94, Olimpija struck international gold by winning the Saporta Cup, then made its way to the Euroleague Final Four in 1997. Dusan Hauptman and Roman Horvat were Olimpija's heroes back in 1994, when the team beat Tau for the Saporta Cup. Then players like Arriel McDonald, Marko Milic, Vladimir Stepania, Darren Henrie and Marko Tusek helped Olimpija advance to the 1997 Final Four before losing against eventual champion Olympiacos.
2006-07 RESULTS
Euroleague
R. Season
5-9
Final Four
Finnalist
Adriatic League
R. Season
13-13
Slovenian League
R. Season
10-4
Playoffs
Finalist
Since then, Olimpija has stood as a regular among the best clubs in Europe, shocking several of them each season, and coming within a single victory of the Final Four in 2003. The club consistently manages to land young, promising players on their way to becoming European basketball stars, including McDonald, Milic, Sani Becirovic and Sarunas Jasikevicius. Its domestic success, now expanded to include the Adriatic League title in 2002, has continued all along. In 2006, Olimpija won its 13th Slovenian League title in 15 years, but it was one win away from advancing to the Top 16 for the second consecutive season. A rash of injuries and some financial problems limited Olimpija's chances last season, in which the team lost both the Slovenian League and Cup finals against Helios Domzale. Despite missing its entire starting backcourt, Olimpija forced Game 5 in the Slovenian League finals, but it still was not enough to defend the title. What is sure, however, is that Olimpija will be ready in 2007-08 to push up the mountain toward success once more. This team knows how to push like few others, past or present.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Euroleague.net
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