In a big road win to open the season, Asseco Arka Gdynia of Poland got behind its leader, Josh Bostic, who promises that he and his teammates will be warriors all season long.
Josh Bostic: "Arka will be a team of warriors"
Interviews
13 Mins read
Asseco Arka Gdynia returned to the 7DAYS EuroCup in the 2018-19 campaign for the first time since 2004 and finished with a 1-9 record. This season, Arka has already sent a message that echoed all around the competition by winning its first game, downing EWE Baskets Oldenburg on the road, 74-78, in their opening game in Group D. As last season, Josh Bostic was Arka's best player, finishing the game with 21 points, a career-high 7 rebounds and 6 assists, adding 2 steals and 5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 24. Bostic had averaged 16.4 points per game in the EuroCup last season, ranking as the regular season's fifth-best scorer. Before joining Arka, the 32-year-old forward had played in Japan, Belgium, Russia, Latvia, Italy, Croatia, and the United States. Bostic talks about his experiences in many different countries, but also about how Arka learned to be more competitive after last season and is putting it into practice. "Last year, I think we kind of entered the EuroCup with an underdog mentality, which I think it is normal," Bostic told EuroCupBasketball.com. "This year, we have more confidence. We know we deserve to be here and every game is an opportunity to show that."
Josh, congratulations on Arka's win in Oldenburg. What allowed your team to get such a great result right away?
"Thanks. You know? Our pre-season was very interesting. We had some new faces and some new young guys. We had a couple of rough games and a lot of learning. We didn't win as much as we would have liked but the most important thing that our coach stressed all pre-season was to improve, get better and learn from our mistakes after each game. I think that mindset really prepared us going into this EuroCup opening game. We learned from our mistakes and watched a lot of film. We don't give enough credit to our coaching staff, who has us well-prepared. The group of guys that we have right now are humble and hungry, and they listen. It was just a perfect showing of all the hard work that we put in in the pre-season."
With 2 minutes left, Oldenburg led 74-72 and had the ball. How did you overcome that situation and steal the road win?
"Honestly, I think that trust was the main thing. And by trust, I am talking about sticking to our game plan and trusting each other. We know that every game in the EuroCup is going to be tough, it is going to be a battle, and if we can keep it close, if we can show we feared no one... Defense wins championships and we were not afraid to take big shots. I think there was a crucial stop in that period you are talking about. We were ready, and I get so excited because we have some young guys who have never been at this level! To see their character in those clutch moments is exciting."
"The group of guys that we have right now are humble and hungry, and they listen."
You did a little bit of everything, grabbing a career-high 7 rebounds. Did the experience you gained last season help start even better now?
"Absolutely! I didn't start the game how I would have wanted; I had a few turnovers and made a couple of decisions that I shouldn't have. But overall, I felt a lot more relaxed and calm, even when things were kind of not going our way. My experience from last year definitely was able to prepare me to be able to talk to my teammates and calm them down, let them know that we can win this game. If you are a leader, you have to be able to relax your guys and give them the confidence they need to know that we can win this game. I definitely credit the experience from last year in being able to do that."
It is a great moment for Polish basketball. The national team reached the World Cup quarterfinals and Arka has started the EuroCup with a win. How is Polish basketball growing lately?
"The World Cup was amazing for Polish basketball. I got to watch a lot of those games on TV and it was exciting, knowing we had a player coming in Adam (Hrycaniuk) from that championship. The excitement around Polish basketball in general right now is definitely something that we can feel. It was an exciting thing to see, how well they were playing and then we entered the EuroCup season with an experienced player, and what he brings is huge for us, his leadership and experience. Polish basketball is definitely rising and that was shown on the World Cup stage."
How popular is basketball in Poland?
"You know what? It is actually growing as far as fans-wise. I would say that the top-tier teams have a huge fan base. The stands are packed, the fans are cheering, the drums are banging... They even have the flares, smoking hot, in the parking lots. Competitive-wise, it is getting a lot better. There are a lot more big-name players in the league now, former NBA players. It is growing and I know, as far as the top-tier teams but also the rest of them, the league is getting better and I am excited to be a part of it. Just to see the growth in the last two or three years is amazing. The fan bases are getting huge and the competitive level has raised dramatically even from last year. I am really excited to be a part of this."
Basketball has allowed you to see many different countries and experience many different cultures. How great is that?
"It is truly a blessing, every day. I take no day for granted. When I gone home to Ohio, I speak to a lot of my friends and family, I see a lot of people that I grew up with that haven't even left Ohio or the United States. I try to share with them my experiences from being in these different cultures and these different environments. It is amazing to experience different cultures and step outside of your comfort zone – hear different languages, eat different food and see different people. And then on the basketball side, it is amazing to see the embrace of basketball worldwide and how much it is growing. It is truly something that I recommend to anyone who can do it – try to experience and interact with someone who doesn't look like you, or doesn't sound like you. Eat some food that you never had before. This is big for me because outside of basketball, this is what the world needs: understanding of everyone's culture. The world would be a better place if everyone could experience someone else's culture. I love every place that I have been and met friends from every single country I have been in, and I am still have some type of friend that I am in contact with in all of them. I really embrace it, I love it. We will see what the future holds!"
In your second EuroCup season, what do you think about its competitiveness and playing level?
"There are some tough teams out there this season! I look at the roster, at the teams and there are such high-level clubs in terms of history! Many teams have won the EuroLeague or the EuroCup. I know that the road going forward is going to be tough. We know that every single EuroCup game will be a battle but I am excited for my club. We are kind of flying under the radar somewhat but I know that everybody in our locker room is full of confidence. Our mindset is that we are not the underdog. We are playing every game to prove that we deserve to be here. Last year, I think we kind of entered the EuroCup with an underdog mentality, which I think it is normal. This year, we have more confidence. We know we deserve to be here and every game is an opportunity to show that. The competition is as high as I have ever seen before in the EuroCup but we are looking forward to every single game. We will see what happens."
You averaged 16.4 ppg. last season and already scored 21 against Oldenburg. How does it feel to be the scoring leader of the team and have your teammates' trust?
"It is huge. I feel like it is more than points or statistics. I really believe it is a character thing, how you treat guys off the court, how you help them. But also they see the work that I put in, so I am not just a verbal leader. I posted on my Instagram a few weeks ago the difference between a boss and a leader. A boss is someone that, in my opinion, who yells at his teammates but they don't do it. A leader is someone who not only yells what to do, but also shows you what to do. So I want to be a leader who shows what to do, but who can also tell them and show them the way. For me, trust is everything. If I could show the guys what to do and they believe that it can be done, the sky is the limit for us."
"I am here to win, my coaches and teammates will tell you that."
Your next game is against Unicaja Malaga, arguably one of the best teams in the competition. How much are you looking forward to playing your first home game against them?
"I can't wait. I can't wait! This club is stacked from top to bottom and are a highly-respected, ACB club. They have everything – the coaches, the players, the contracts, the budgets... We are going to go in and give all we have on our home court. We are going to focus on our game plan and are prepared for a war. We know their history and everything about them. Like I said, we are not approaching it as an underdog, but as an opportunity to show that we deserve to be here. We will see what happens and this will be another test. I am excited! I literally can't wait!"
In general terms, what can EuroCup fans expect from you, personally, and from Asseco Arka Gdynia this season?
"War! They can expect war and, of course, warriors. Asseco Arka will be a team of warriors. From me, personally, they can expect a guy who is humble and hungry. That is my goal this year -- to stay humble but be hungry every single game. I am here to win, that is my whole goal. I am here to win, my coaches and teammates will tell you that. That is Josh Bostic and that is what he stands for -- to win. If I have to score 20 points, that is what I will do. If I have to score five and stop their best player, that is what I will do. I want to be that guy that when he steps on the court, he will do literally anything that is in the game plan to win. That is what they can expect. We are going to play exciting basketball and want to be warriors."