Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of the BKT EuroCup Eighthfinals
Eighthfinals pregame quotes: 'A big game awaits'
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5 Mins read
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Turk Telekom Ankara vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul
Zvezdan Mitrovic, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana head coach
"A very important game is definitely ahead of us. So far, we have shown solid performances in the EuroCup. Besiktas is coming to us — a team that finished the regular season in fifth place in their group, but they were a EuroCup Semifinalist last season and played in the Turkish Cup final just a few weeks ago. They are truly an ambitious team with an ambitious head coach. Stozice [Arena] is our advantage, while everything else is on a different level, but players on the court play. Our energy will be the most important factor, and we need to be tough and aggressive. Tactics, technique, and everything else will follow, but the key is to bring the right energy. We must be strong in rebounding and focus on the fundamentals of defense. Most of our players are experiencing this level of competition for the first time, so this will be their first truly big game. The arena will be well-filled, with plenty of fans, and I believe the support from the stands will be great. It is the coaching staff’s job to prepare the team for the game."
Jaka Blazic, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana guard
"I expect a tough and emotional game against a team that has been built this season to compete for the top spots in the EuroCup and the Turkish national championship. Besiktas is certainly not coming to Ljubljana waving a white flag. We have worked hard throughout the season in Europe to earn the opportunity to play this decisive game for a spot in the quarterfinals on our home court. We are all looking forward to this game. Single-elimination matchups like this are special, and they are the ones you remember after your career is over. We already faced Besiktas last season and their backcourt players are mostly the same as back then. The players know each other well and have good chemistry. They play very aggressively on defense and we have to respond with the same intensity. A lot is at stake, so we must follow the instructions from our coaching staff and react in the way we know best. I invite all our fans to join us in Stozice, to be loud, and to support us even in the moments when things might not go our way. We will need that extra push when it matters most."
Dreamland Gran Canaria vs. Umana Reyer Venice
Jaka Lakovic, Dreamland Gran Canaria head coach
"I think the team is focused and mentally prepared for the game. We know what we have to do, we have been in this situation the last two years in BKT EuroCup playoff matches. The team has that experience and I am confident that we will come out in the right way for the match. We expect a very solid and physical Reyer. Ennis and Kabengele are the two players who have the biggest impact on their game. There are also others like Munford, McGruder, Wiltjer and Simms at the four position. This is a very solid and physical team. We must be prepared to defend well, secure our defensive rebounds, try to play our game in transition and have solutions in five-on-five. Neven Spahija was my coach at KK Krka Novo Mesto. He has also left our countries to make a great career as a coach. We have kept in touch throughout all these years and we are good friends."
Neven Spahija, Umana Reyer Venice head coach
"This is a very important game for all of us, for the history of our club, and for the Reyer fans. I regret that it’s a single-elimination match played away because our fans also would have deserved a game like this. In any case, we step onto the court aware that we can be competitive and win on the road. On the court, we must continue executing our plays, especially those in which we are most effective. We will need solid defense because it has been one of our strengths since the beginning of the year, but the result will also depend on them, as they are a great team with a lot of talent and experience. It will be a very tough game, but an exciting one to play."
Tyler Ennis, Umana Reyer Venice guard
"A big game awaits us. We are playing away again against a great and well-organized team. We want to step onto the court to show what we can do and what we have worked on. We are aware that we can compete and win against any opponent, whether in Italy or Europe. This is a win-or-go-home game and I believe it will be an amazing one. We need to enter the court with great confidence to bring home the victory."
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca
Alessandro Magro, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius head coach
"It's a crucial game right now. We deserve the chance to play this kind of game. After a very solid EuroCup season, we play against a very solid team. Same record as us, they are well built. They have a lot of experienced players. Right now, we are after the break in a situation where we need to recruit all the mental and physical energy we have, as well as the motivation to try to achieve another goal and try to advance winning at home in front of our fans."
Kristupas Zemaitis, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius guard
"We have already gone through crucial games before. We are very disappointed with our performance in the national cup tournament and are currently in a stretch of poor results. That’s why we have some anger and are ready to fight because we only have two tournaments left this season. The fate of one of them will be decided in this game. We are playing at home and must show a completely different face than we have in the past few weeks."
Mihai Silvasan, U-BT Cluj-Napoca head coach
"This is a Play-Off game, so for sure, it is an important moment. They have a great team, with very good foreigners and quality Lithuanian internationals. Their team is really tall and strong. We need to match their intensity in order to win. We have our own weapons!"
De'Shawn Stephens, U-BT Cluj-Napoca center
"It is going to be tough. We have to be locked in, be together and we need everybody. We need all the players, even the fans. Every game is tough and this one in particular. We will not have our entire fanbase with us and the dynamic will be different. We need to be ready!"