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sep 30 2026San Pablo Burgos returned to European competition after five years and did so with a victory. They defeated Cedevita Olimpija 85-81 at the Coliseum in their EuroCup debut, with DJ Steward leading the way.
A game that got complicated
Porfi Fisac's team dominated by as much as twelve points before halftime and appeared to have the game under control.
But the fourth quarter threw everything into doubt. Cedevita pressed hard, the lead evaporated, and the game came down to the final minutes with the score hanging in the balance.
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The three-pointer that sealed it
With the score at 80-79, DJ Steward hit the three-pointer that paved the way to victory.
The American point guard finished with 22 points and four assists in just 22 minutes of play, confirming the strong start to the season he had been having: he had scored at least fourteen points in six of his last seven games.
A statement
The victory comes three days after a tough blow. Burgos lost their Liga Endesa debut to Baskonia 97-98 in the final play, after leading by twelve points in the fourth quarter.
That loss left Fisac visibly frustrated in the postgame press conference, especially over the officiating on the final free throws and the team's poor three-point shooting. This time, the outcome was different.
The opponent's pedigree
Cedevita Olimpija was no ordinary opponent. They reached the quarterfinals of the competition last season with a 12-6 record and strengthened this summer with Anthony Cowan Jr. running the point, while also retaining veteran Jaka Blazic, the third all-time leading scorer in EuroCup history.
Burgos, meanwhile, played without Retin Obasohan and Vlatko Cancar, who underwent meniscus surgery in mid-September.
