Krka wins Slovenian league Championship

Krka Novo Mesto has defeated Union Olimpija Ljubljana 71-61 to capture their fourth-straight Telemach League Championship. It was a good ending as the two top-seeds coming from the regular season were able to settle which team deserved the title.

Krka won this game via a balanced attack by their starters who combined for 36 points and their bench who tallied 35, thus keeping a steady pace of pressure. Krka had their largest lead of the game at 13, while Union Olimpija was only to keep a two-point lead the one time they were able to take command. The key to Krka’s victory was their ability to score in the paint. They outscored their opponents in the low post by 34-16.  Union Olimpija had no clear answer for this attack.

Finals MVP and Krka’s leading scorer for the game, Matjaz Smodis (205 cm) enjoyed what must have been a bitter-sweet victory. The 33-year-old Smodis announced his retirement after the game. He played six seasons with CSKA Moscow and proudly has three Euroleague titles under his belt.  He led Krka with a game-high 21 points, shooting at an impressive 80% from the field (8-10) and also knocking down three of his four shots from three-point range. Needless to say, Smodis was able to cap off his illustrious professional basketball career on a high note with his performance.

Union Olimpija was led by the combined effort of Finnish guard Salin Sasu (192 cm) and homegrown Klemen Prepelic (191 cm) who scored 14 points each. Both guards were the only players from Union Olimpija who were able to convert from downtown. The team shot poorly from long range, only making 3 of their 18 attempts.