Gran Canaria's veteran center Oliver Stevic is the perfect person to hear from before his team's eighthfinals game against his former team, Slask Wroclaw.
Oliver Stevic, Gran Canaria: 'Now, we have to be a little bit hungrier'
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10 Χρόνος Ανάγνωσης
Gran Canaria finished the regular season as the top team in Group B with a 12-6 record. Its last game before the knock-out rounds, at home against Umana Reyer Venice, was Oliver Stevic's 100th appearance in the competition. The center became the 20th player to reach that number. Stevic will complete a circle when Gran Canaria hosts Slask Wroclaw in the Eighthfinals. His EuroCup debut came with Slask in the 2007-08 season, and his first-ever game in the competition was at home against Gran Canaria. He has averaged 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds over 14 minutes this season as one of the many pillars in his team's frontcourt. Stevic said he believes experience and depth can give Gran Canaria the edge, but playing hard and being focused is where it all starts. "The good thing about us is that all of us are a little bit different. We are not the same type of player, and all of us give something different to the team. I think that is also a good thing and makes things tougher for our opponents when they prepare the games against us," Stevic said in this week's interview. "On the other side, we have to be aware that playing at home is not enough. We have to play hard. It's the playoffs. It is a completely different type of competition."
Hello again, Oliver. Gran Canaria has had a great season until now, with quality wins against Virtus Segafredo Bologna and twice against Valencia Basket. Has it been even better than you expected at the beginning of the season?
"Definitely. Our goal at the beginning of the season was to be one of the top four teams in our group. If we could make it to the top two, it would be amazing, but the idea was to be one of the top four teams to have the home-court advantage in our first playoff game and to make it to the quarterfinals, to be one of the best eight teams in the competition. The way we started the season, and especially how we played on the road in the first part of the season gave us a little push and a boost to maybe have higher expectations. We increased our chance to be one of the top two teams and, in the end, to be the best team in our group which, I think, is a pretty great achievement."
"I think the most important thing is to understand that it's just one game, you don't have another opportunity."
Gran Canaria will face Slask, one of your former teams, in this first round. I am sure you have followed them closely. What are their strengths?
"It is going to be a specific game for me. My first-ever EuroCup game was with Slask Wroclaw against Gran Canaria! It was in the 2007-08 season and also my first appearance in the EuroCup. It was a home game in Poland against Gran Canaria. What's even more curious is that Slask has the same coach [Andrej Urlep] and the same assistant coaches [Andrzej Adamek] as 14-15 seasons ago. The one thing that we can't do is underestimate any opponent, it doesn't matter if it's Wroclaw or anyone else because the playoffs have a different format, it is just one game. It's amazing for us that we play at home, that we have this home-court advantage until the finals, but you have to be focused on every possession, on every defensive play, on every offense, because one bad quarter can knock you out of the competition. So this is the most important thing. For sure, quality is on our side against Slask Wroclaw but like I said, it is just one game, and it can depend a lot on the inspiration of one, two or three players, if you wake up on the wrong foot or not. So I think the most important thing is to understand that it's just one game, you don't have another opportunity. And this is going to be the most important thing in all the playoffs, not just in this first game."
You will play against Kerem Kanter. You briefly played with him at Joventut Badalona. Aleksander Dziewa is also playing really well. Is Slask's frontcourt its main threat?
"My personal opinion is that in today's basketball, everything comes from the point guard. So I think the main threat is going to come from [Travis] Trice. If we stop him and neutralize him, everything else is going to be a little bit easier. But like I said before, it's not only him. You mentioned Kanter; I think he's a really good offensive player and they have some other talented players. We can't just relax, get on the court and just see what's going to happen. We have to have to dictate our rhythm. We have to set the level of physicality we want. These are the things that we have to look for, how we are going to approach the game, how we are going to step on the court."
You also played for Zielona Gora in Poland. From your point of view, how important is it for Polish basketball that Slask made it to the EuroCup Eighthfinals?
"First of all, I think Polish basketball is a good step for some players who want to feel confident, like I did when I was younger, to gain confidence, to get into the rhythm, and be on the basketball map. Definitely, the success of its national team in the [2019] World Cup was big and very important for them. After I played for Slask, the team had some financial problems and they went down to the second division and now they are coming back to the European basketball map. This is a team that won 19 Polish League titles. It is the most successful team in Polish basketball history. I think they are going step by step, and are trying to do as much as they can with their resources."
You mentioned your first EuroCup game. The previous one against Reyer was your 100th EuroCup game. You are the 20th player to get there. How does it feel?
"Oh, thank you for that info. I didn't know! I think it is amazing. It's just amazing that I have been able to play so many years on this level. It is a really nice achievement and let's see how many more I'm going to have in front of me, especially this year. I hope as many as possible."
Gran Canaria has the home-court advantage in any potential games unless you face Joventut. How can that work in your favor, knowing that Gran Canaria Arena can fit 11,500 fans?
"Home is always home. We are practicing on our home court every day, and there will definitely be more fans in the gym because the playoffs are here. You always have an advantage at home. It is completely different to play at home than on the road. Also, our schedule in the Spanish League is good. Until the end of the season, we only have two more trips, so we are going to spend a lot of time here. It is pretty difficult, it is always a long trip for any team coming here, or for us going anywhere. So definitely there is some advantage. But on the other side, we have to be aware that playing at home is not enough. We have to play hard. It's the playoffs. It is a completely different type of competition, and all teams are four wins away from lifting the trophy, so let's see how many of those games we can win."
"All teams are four wins away from lifting the trophy, so let's see how many of those games we can win."
Gran Canaria has five players, you included, who can play at the '5' position. That's a lot of depth at center. How can this work in your favor?
"Definitely, one of us is going to have a good day. And the good thing about us is that all of us are a little bit different. We are not the same type of player and all of us give something different to the team. I think that is also a good thing and makes things tougher for our opponents when they prepare the games against us. You cannot follow exactly the same rules for each one of us and the opponents have to adjust. I hope we are going to be able to use that to our advantage."
Also, experience works in your favor with players like A.J. Slaughter, John Shurna, Andrew Albicy and of course, you. How important is that in a do-or-die game?
"It can be very important, especially when it comes to the end of a game like this, you know? In those moments when your nerves start working and when you need to think fast and make good decisions. It definitely helps. Also, we have experience from last year playing in the semifinals, so we already know what it means to go almost until the end of this competition. And I hope, like I said, we are going to be able to find those things that are to our advantage."
You just turned 38 years old. What keeps you going?
"The love for the sport, honestly. That's the first thing. The second thing is that I still feel physically good. I still feel that I can help my team, not only on the things outside of the court but also on the court, which is important. Health takes a really big impact on the career of every player and of course, also in mine. So as long as I feel healthy, that I feel I have something to give the team, I'm going to keep going and keep playing. I don't have an exact moment or thought about when I am going to stop playing. For me, more or less, the philosophy is that I am still playing, and until then I am going to keep playing."
You've been to the semifinals twice - once with Andorra and once with Gran Canaria. Also, the club has been close to winning the EuroCup several times. What would it mean for you and for the club to go all the way and lift the trophy?
"Well, I think from the experience of last year with the home-court advantage, I really think that we can give this one more step or one more push to get into the final game and see then what's going to happen. Like I said at the beginning, I think with the way how we finished the regular season, we reached our initial goal. We are past that goal now and now we have to be a little bit hungrier. Where we want to go now is all the way until the end. We earned this possibility but have a little problem because we lost our teammate Chris Kramer, who got injured. It is one less guy in our rotation and he was really important for us, especially on the defensive end. He was one of the guys together with Albicy who set the tone on defense. But like I said before, home is always home and is already better than playing on the road. Let's see if we can get to the championship game."