Three years ago, Podgorica was supposed to host the Super Cup of the ABA League, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the competition was not held.
A break followed, there was no place for the Supercup in the calendar until this year, when it was announced that the capital of Montenegro will host eight teams from the region in a tournament that is a warm-up for the start of the season in the Admiralbet ABA League, which starts on September 29.
"We are really happy that we have the opportunity to organize the Super Cup. We really put in a lot of effort, Budućnost Voli and the city of Podgorica did everything to make it possible to enjoy SC 'Morača', from Monday to Wednesday. I invite everyone to come to SC 'Morača', I call on all actors to do everything in the spirit of sport. That Podgorica and Montenegro send a clear and strong message of unity not only to the ABA region but also beyond. We will try to be good hosts. The Super Cup is, indeed, an opportunity to be a good representative of our city and our country", said the president of Budućnost Volija, Dragan Bokan, at today's conference.
The Sports Director of the ABA League, Milija Vojinović reminded that the ABA League started 22 years ago with the match between Budućnosti and Cibona.
"We wanted to play club basketball after the national team matches, and the selections from the region recorded good results. Since I am in Montenegro, I take the opportunity to congratulate the Montenegrin national team on the outstanding result at the World Cup, and all the players in the national team have gone through ABA league. The organization has been outstanding so far. Exactly one year ago, all club representatives, at the suggestion of KK Buducnost Voli, unanimously accepted that the organization of the Super Cup should be in Podgorica. In communication with all clubs, I see that everyone has a positive attitude about what will happen happen in the next three days in Podgorica," said Vojinović.
Vojinović on Zvezda's absence: You can't live without him
Eight first-placed teams from the previous season were supposed to participate in the tournament, but instead of Crvena Zvezda, the place was filled by Igoke.
"Last year, at the Assembly in Bar, a decision was made to play the Super Cup. Crvena zvezda informed us a month ago that they had previously assumed some obligations. I am not sure that they assumed these obligations for more than a year. Due to the presence of their professional staff at a seminar and a tournament that they play in a European city. The responsibility lies with the club that did not come here. We can do without him who is not there," said Vojinović.
About the calendar: There will be changes if Zvezda and Partizan qualify for the F4 Euroleague
The previous seasons of the ABA League ended on June 22, which is the latest since its inception. The games were postponed, while one series in the playoffs ended, the other didn't even start...
"At the last Assembly, a decision was made that there will be a shift in the coordinated calendar, if one of our clubs is placed in the F4 of the Euroleague. In the case of their placement in the playoffs of the Euroleague, as well as the placement of Cedevit-Olimpija and Buducnost in the playoffs of the Eurocup, then will play synchronized ABA league and European competitions," said Vojinović.
Bokan also spoke about the calendar.
"We have to state that the ABA league is not at the level it deserves to be. It is not the fault of the management, but exclusively the co-owners who cannot agree on some things, when it comes to the social contract, so problems arise that the management cannot to resolve. It must not happen to us that one club can on its own initiative extend the end of the ABA League as it suits, or that one club does not participate in the Super Cup as it suits. I think that is not good - it doesn't matter if it is Bubućnost or someone else. We have a resumption of the adjourned session of the ABA League Assembly on Wednesday. We still have some things to deal with. To decide the directions in which the ABA League should go. I'm sure this project suits everyone. There is no national championship that can be better than this ABA League.
"We are not excited by stories about the exit of Serbian clubs"
Recently, after the session of the Assembly of the Basketball League of Serbia, information appeared that the Serbian Cubs will leave the ABA League, which Partizan denied.
"I believe that no one from one club has the right to interfere in some internal matters of basketball associations within one country. Serbia, as well as Slovenia, Croatia, BiH and North Macedonia have the right within their country to regulate all issues in the way they think is the best. As for things in Serbia, I think the address is Belgrade and KSS. We leave it to the clubs from Serbia to decide. We can only say that we want to play with the best clubs in the region. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the incredibly great success of the Serbian national team at Mundobasket. At the same time, for a small country like Montenegro, a big success is the result at Mundobasket. The ABA league is partly responsible for those successes," said Bokan.
Vojinović also followed.
"In order to make a competition, there should be participants. We have been hearing this story since the Euroleague started. The clubs that have an A license in the Euroleague and in this case in the ABA League are not only participants, they are the owners of the ABA League company etc. We can talk about the business part and actions that the clubs have in the league itself, and the second part about the competition itself. We are not excited at all," said Vojinović.
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