Former 7DAYS EuroCup champion Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar has its back against the wall to survive Group B and advance to the Top 16, but high-flying forward Sam Dekker has confidence that he and his teammates will overcome in the end.
Sam Dekker, Lokomotiv: 'I fully believe in our team'
Interviews
11 Mins read
After four consecutive losses, Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar bounced back in style in Round 8 by downing Limoges CSP 77-92 on the road to keep its chances to make it to the Top 16. Right now, Lokomotiv holds fifth place in Group B with a 3-5 record and most likely needs to win its final two regular season games, against Partizan NIS Belgrade and against Umana Reyer Venice at home, to advance to the next round. One of its biggest pillars this season has been power forward Sam Dekker, who is playing his first season in European basketball at age 25. Dekker has adjusted quickly to the competition, averaging 13.1 points on 70.8% two-point shooting and 86.7% from the foul line, and 5.1 rebounds in eight EuroCup games to date. Dekker is on a mission now to take Lokomotiv to the Top 16 and use the fresh start in the next round much. "The losses that we had were uncharacteristic. We were embarrassed by those losses. We want to show we are a better team than that, so I think the pressure is going to be good for us," Dekker told EuroCupbasketball.com. "We are going to come out, be very aggressive, play with great energy and play team basketball."
Hello, Sam. Congratulations on the win in Limoges, a do-or-die victory for Lokomotiv. How did your approach to that high-pressure game allow you to win it?
"Thank you. I think we got into the mindset that every game is our championship because if we still look at it right now, we still need to win these two games left. We want to get to the second stage of the EuroCup, but we also want to feel good about the way we are playing. When there is a coaching change and new players, it is always tough, but we have a very talented team. We have a bunch of guys who like each other and play well together. We just have to be able to put it together for 40 minutes. In the game in Limoges, it was big for us to get an early lead and hold onto it. Hopefully, that gives us momentum for Partizan and Tofas coming up."
"We are a team that gets along really well."
The good thing is that Lokomotiv depends on its own results; two wins will surely take you to the next round. How good is it to control your own destiny?
"It is good. We want to have full control, because we put ourselves in this position, obviously, losing games that we shouldn't have lost. In all of our losses, we had the lead. Even against Partizan in Belgrade, despite three injuries and foul troubles, we were leading by 6 points in the fourth quarter. In a couple of those games that we lost, we were up 15 points. We know that we have a good team. We know that we have maybe the most talent in all of the EuroCup. We just have to play 40 minutes of basketball and know that it is in our control now. That gives us confidence going into the next two games – and hopefully, into the next round."
You already played against Partizan in Serbia and learned from that. What do you need to do to beat Partizan this time?
"Partizan is a great team. I already mentioned that we had the lead but I am not going to take anything away from what Partizan did. They played a complete basketball game in front of an amazing atmosphere, with great fans. It is tough to win there! But they were also in a stretch when they won five or six in a row. We faced them when they were playing at their best, and we were down a few guys, but still managed to be in that game to the last second. I just think we have to match their aggressiveness, their physicality. They are a very physical basketball team, well-coached, and with a lot of talent. Talent plus physicality and a good coach makes for a really, really good team, and that is why they have the success that they had in the past and the fan base they have: because they do things the right way. But we also have a good team and are looking forward to getting them back, ending with a win this time."
This is your first professional experience outside the United States. What do you think about the EuroCup playing level and about Krasnodar fans?
"Obviously, it is different. The playing style is different and some of the rules, too. Guys don't need to go out and score 30 points. In the NBA, you have at least one or two guys scoring 30 or 40 points every night. Here is much more ball movement and physicality. You drive in the paint, you have three or four guys who are ready to stop you. That took some adjusting, and the pace is a little slower, but I think I am transitioning well. I think I only had one game when I felt like I didn't play well. Otherwise, I feel like my teammates and the coaches got me ready to play at this level, and at the end of the day, it is still basketball. You have to grow up, play your game and try to help your team. And the Krasnodar fans, they have been great! Even when we went through our losing streak, they were still there, excited for us, and when we travel on the road, we always see some Loko fans even in cities far away. This is fun to see; when you have good fans and they come to every game, it is much more fun. It is a good experience and Krasnodar is a good city compared to other places in Russia in terms of basketball interest. We are trying to get the championship this year, so that they can be excited."
How is it off the court? Was it difficult to move? Did your family come to see you in Russia?
"It has definitely been an adjustment, living in a new country, especially a country like Russia and in a city like Krasnodar, where not many people speak English. That has been the hardest part: communicating with people when there is a problem or when you need something. If you go to a restaurant, it is usually pretty easy because you can either point at stuff or there is someone speaking English, but if your car breaks down, or you need to pay something, you are lost in the street, you cannot communicate and that has been the hardest part. One of my best friends from back home has been with me the past couple of months and my wife will be here in two months, after her work is finished for the year. I haven't been alone, which has been good. Having a friend here has been great to be able to get around and try new things. My parents came here for a couple of weeks last month, so that was great. I have been able to have people and friends here, so that makes it much easier, having people here who speak English and can help you get around the city."
How did your teammates help you adjust?
"The guys have been great. The Russian guys have been really welcoming. We are a team that gets along really well... Very nice guys who have tried to help me and tried to teach me some Russian and stuff like that. We also have Johnny O'Bryant and Will Cummings, who are American but have played overseas the last few years. They have European experience and have been able to help me about the team and how to cope with being homesick, how to stay positive through everything. I am a rookie in Europe, so I don't know the ins and outs of the structure here all the time, so they helped me a lot and it has been great, having guys like that, Americans who have been through the European experience. I go a lot of times to them for advice, or if I have any questions, and they have been awesome about it."
Lokomotiv recently signed Mindaugas Kuzminskas. How can he help the team from now on?
"First of all, he is an awesome person, just a very nice guy. I played against him a few times when he was with the New York Knicks in the NBA. I knew his game. I knew he is a great shooter and a smart basketball player. He just gives us another dimension; he gives us shooting, experience and skills, and with the team that we have, that is going to help us a ton. He has played in big games, internationally and in the NBA, and has been a pro for 12 or 13 years. And it is easy to communicate with. He speaks great English, so if I have questions, I can go to him. He has been a great addition for us. It has been fun to play with him and get to know him."
You've got to know some cities in Europe, including Venice. How was that experience?
"Venice was great. My wife came for that game, so we got to see the city. Unfortunately, that was when the flooding happened so we didn't get as much time inside as we would like. We hope that everybody has been OK there, recovering from those floods. Venice is a beautiful city with great basketball fans, and they have a good team there. They put themselves in a great position to be first or second in our group, and they have played great. It is another well-coached team. Venice is beautiful and it was a place I had never been to. I had been to Italy before, but never to Venice. It was fun to be able to do that with my wife, see a place we had never seen and a very, very beautiful part of the world."
"Pressure can show you who you really are."
How challenging is the EuroCup, knowing that eight good teams will be out by the end of 2019? How much pressure is there?
"The pressure is fun; that is why we play the game. Pressure can show you who you really are. And I would put our team, our guys, against anyone. I fully believe in our team and I think, for sure, we can contend and win the championship. The losses that we had were uncharacteristic. We were embarrassed by those losses. We want to show we are a better team than that, so I think the pressure is going to be good for us. We are going to come out, be very aggressive, play with great energy and play team basketball. We are a positive team, excited for these two opportunities to show how good we are, that we can make some noise right here in the EuroCup. The competition is fun. We like that pressure and are ready for it."
If you make it to the Top 16, how dangerous will Lokomotiv be with a fresh start?
"I can that we can be very dangerous. Like I said, we fully expect to make it to the Top 16, and I think we have the most talent in all of the EuroCup. That is going to do big things for us, because had some growing pains together and were hurt by those losses. We want to have control in the next two games and once those losses are wiped clean, I think we can breathe in some fresh air, kind of exhale and go on from there. Mentally, that would be great for us and I think we will be really proud to come together and win the next two. We would be very proud to make it to the Top 16, and I think that will help us have a lot of momentum. I think that having that clean slate would be good for us and we fully expect to be there. We want to stay in the EuroCup and prove that we are a good team."