Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of the BKT EuroCup season tip off.
Round 1: Pre-game quotes and injury reports
Article
17 Minute de lecture
Tuesday's games
Veolia Towers Hamburg vs. Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse
Benka Barloschky, Veolia Towers Hamburg head coach:
"After Sunday's [German League] game, we don't have much time to prepare for the EuroCup opener. We, the coaches, have scouted accordingly and are looking at what we can do in the short time available. We will concentrate on the essentials and give the team everything they need for the game."
Hamburg injury report: Jared Grey out (broken arm), Niklas Wimberg out (broken leg)
Freddy Fauthoux, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse head coach:
"We gained confidence in pre-season by facing ratiopharm Ulm. We prepared and trained accordingly to start the competition in the best possible way."
Brandon Paul, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse guard:
"We put ourselves in a great position during pre-season to have a successful EuroCup season this year. Now, it’s time to play JL Bourg basketball and I have no doubt that we are ready for the challenges ahead - starting against a good team in Hamburg."
Joventut Badalona vs. Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv
Dani Miret, Joventut Badalona head coach:
"The key is to go game by game, day by day. Each rival will demand a lot from us and we must have our identity to dominate matches with our strengths and be more consistent. We must be a team that is solid defensively, push from the defense and increase the rate of scoring points, which gives us confidence after being strong defensively."
Ante Tomic, Joventut Badalona center:
"Every team wants and can enter the playoffs. It is a good start to see [where we are] against Hapoel and at home, where we hope to play a good game. Playing well at home is always important and winning home games gives you confidence, because if you win them all you have a lot more chances to enter the playoffs."
Stefanos Dedas, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv head coach:
"The EuroCup starts for us on Tuesday against a historical team, in a tough place, Badalona. We have a huge respect for our opponent, but our target is to go all the way, and for sure it is important to start with a good result to satisfy our fans and to set a tone early in the competition, to show we are here to do good things this season. We have confidence and we prepared very well to show our abilities. I think we will be ready to fight until the last moment to register our first win, which would give us a boost for the continuation of the season."
Tomer Ginat, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv forward:
"We are very excited to open the European season with a tough game in Badalona. We will come to fight for every ball and come away with the victory. We are all united and focused to make our fans happy."
Dreamland Gran Canaria vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento
Paolo Galbiati, Dolomiti Energia Trento head coach:
"We are playing against a very important team in the EuroCup. Gran Canaria has a long history of success, with many playoff appearances and, just two years ago, they won the competition. They made several changes during the summer, but kept a solid core of players who have been there for several years, such as Shurna, Albicy and Brussino. They also added top-level players, many of them coming from the Euroleague, such as Alocen, Tobey and Thomasson, as well as Homesley and Conditt, who already know the competition well. It is a team built to win and we want to give our all to have our say. Starting our European adventure at the Gran Canaria Arena is really exciting."
Andrea Pecchia, Dolomiti Energia Trento guard:
"I am very excited and I can't wait to get started. I am a rookie in this competition and I can't wait to test myself against such strong teams, which aspire to the EuroLeague. In my opinion, it will be fun, there will certainly be difficult moments but with the group that is being created we can do something great. Gran Canaria is a very strong team, last year I saw the game that Trento won by 22 points in Las Palmas and they will certainly have a grudge and will give their all. It will be nice and stimulating to play this game and it will be a good test."
Wednesday's games
U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana
Zvezdan Mitrovic, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana head coach:
"The teams in both groups in BKT EuroCup are definitely on a higher level than in the previous season. We'll be able to see a team that came from the EuroLeague, and on the other hand, teams that have significantly increased their budgets. In our group, we can find the former EuroLeague team Valencia, as well as our future opponents Cluj, last season’s finalist Bourg, the strong Hapoel, but I don't want to list every team individually. The consensus, not just mine, is that the EuroCup is much stronger this season than in the last. Our main goal is to fight for a playoff spot, and that goal should motivate us to perform as well as possible and play at a high level since we're not the clear favorites against any opponent in the group. We need to play well, as a team. During preparations, we had both good and bad periods, and building the team is a long process. Cluj is a serious team, a club where Dusko Vujosevic laid some foundations, and the current coach has been with the team for many years. The club added quality players in certain positions compared to last season. This will be the first time in my career that I’ll play against our opponents, but it's clear we're talking about a serious project that is improving season by season. We'll try to prepare for the game as best as possible, but the favorite role for Wednesday's match undoubtedly belongs to Cluj. EuroCup is a strong competition. I’ve played in it before with ASVEL, where we reached the quarterfinals, and with Monaco, with whom we won the title. After the EuroLeague, EuroCup is definitely the second strongest basketball competition in Europe, which is evident from the level of organization and the teams that compete in it. I’m happy to return to the competition. We have a challenging schedule ahead of us. What's most important to me is that we are prepared and that we approach each game bravely, just like we did in the Tivoli tournament, where we faced EuroLeague teams. We’re motivated to put on the best performance possible. The schedule might not favor us at the start of the season, but in the end, that doesn’t matter, as you can start the season poorly and improve as it progresses, and vice versa."
Brynton Lemar, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana guard:
"Every team that competes in the BKT EuroCup is good, and each game presents a strong challenge. I want us to step onto the court ready to fight in every match. I don’t have all the answers, and I can't predict that we'll finish the season undefeated. But we will definitely give our best, be competitive, and strive to improve with every game, while doing everything we can to win as many games as possible. We’re excited that the season is starting, and at the same time, we’re hungry and eager to prove ourselves as a team. It’s still early, but we’re definitely hungry to make our mark in the EuroCup. Cluj is a very good team. Our opponents have slightly revamped their lineup with some new players. I expect us to give our all for all 40 minutes and show a different face than in the [ABA League] match against FMP. We need to be more aggressive and focused. I expect a good game where we’ll give everything we have, and hopefully, the result at the end of the game will be in our favor."
Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius vs. Bahcesehir College Istanbul
Alessandro Magro, Wolves Twinbet Vilnius head coach:
"We are excited to start this new EuroCup season. We have our first EuroCup game against a very solid team, full of experienced players at this level. For sure, Bahcesehir will play for a spot in the playoff. They have a very good coach and very talented players. I am really happy to see C.J. Massinburg and Tai Odiase again. I coached them in Brescia, and I have great memories that I shared with them. For our EuroCup season, we want to try to compete. Our goal is to try to overcome the group and go to the playoffs. It will be a fight every time, at home and on the road because the group is very competitive. But we are confident that we are in the right way to try to compete every night, starting with the upcoming game."
Regimantas Miniotas, Wolves Twinbet Vilnius forward:
"This year, the EuroCup competition is very tough, with many good teams. A tough fight for a place in the playoffs awaits us. The Bahcesehir team did a good job on the roster this summer, it has high-level players and a great coach. Like us, their season has just begun, so it’s still too early to evaluate them. In the first game, we will need to be fully focused and execute the coaches' game plan. If we do that, I believe we can start the EuroCup on a good note. We are happy that we’ve started the season with a win in the domestic championship. We hope for the same start in the EuroCup."
Dejan Radonjic, Bahcesehir College Istanbul head coach:
"We are going to play our first official game of the season against a very good team and organization. They have a new coach and a new approach on what to do on defense and also on offense. We worked really hard and practiced well during the pre-season. First game of the season is always unpredictable, you never know what is going to happen. We have to execute our game plan, play hard on both ends of the floor and start the EuroCup with a performance that makes our fans proud."
Tyler Cavanaugh, Bahcesehir College Istanbul forward:
"We are excited for the new EuroCup season to finally get started. Really excited for the team and the players that we have and eager to see how we match up with the teams in the EuroCup. Wolves will be a very good first test for us. They have a lot of experienced players, and we know it is going to be a tough environment to play in, as all Lithuanian basketball arenas are. Really excited to see how far we can go, and it all starts on Wednesday night.
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem vs. Valencia Basket
Yonatan Alon, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem head coach:
"We are excited to return to the EuroCup and start the season. We couldn't ask for a tougher opponent for the first game than Valencia, a club we highly respect with an excellent team and almost no weaknesses. We have great faith in our team and are determined to make our fans proud, some of whom will travel to support us in Bulgaria while most will be cheering from afar. We are confident that it will be a very tough game, but we have one goal and one goal only – to win."
Yovel Zoosman, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem forward:
"After a long and intense preparation period, we are happy to start the season. The entire team worked very hard to reach the best condition for the first game of the EuroCup. We will face an opponent that everyone knows belongs in the EuroLeague, but we are here to prove our worth and want to start our European campaign with a statement."
Jerusalem injury report: Nimrod Levi out (ankle injury), Khadeen Carrington out (personal matters)
Pedro Martinez, Valencia Basket head coach:
"The rival is good, it is one of the contenders. I think there are six or seven teams that are likely to win the competition, and [Hapoel Jerusalem] is one of them. It is a team that I like the way they play, the truth is, they have players who can score a lot of points, physical players, they have a very aggressive defense. Let's say that if what we wanted was to have an 'easier' start, well no, that is not the case. We are playing against a good team and it will be very difficult to win, but we will try to see if we play a good game and if we can win. If we start with a win, it would be very good for the future of the competition. If we lose, obviously, it will not break anything, but it will not be a good news."
Besitkas Fibabank Istanbul vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica
Dusan Alimpijevic, Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul head coach:
"Buducnost is a very respectable team. They have a very good roster, we know they are aiming for the top spot in both the EuroCup and the ABA League. They have very important names in their roster. Buducnost played an ABA League game last week. This creates an advantage for them. It will be the first official game of the season for us. I believe my team is preparing for the game in the best possible way and is waiting for the game. It will be very important for our fans to create the atmosphere they created last season once again, because we created an atmosphere in our arena that the whole of Europe talked about. As long as our fans are with us, everything is possible. I'm calling all our fans to again come to the gym and support us."
Yigit Arslan, Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul guard:
"It is a very important game for us. We will play a dangerous team in our group at home in line with our goals. We have not yet played our best game, hopefully we will reach this level with the official games. It will not be easy to reach or even surpass last year’s success. We need the support of our fans this season as well. From the first game, we must show the EuroCup organization and our rivals that Besiktas wants to play at the top as a team and its fans. We want to start this difficult competition with a victory. Hopefully, we will make a good start to the season on Wednesday night."
Andrej Zakelj, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica head coach:
"We’re glad that we’ve reached this point with a fully healthy squad for the first game. That’s definitely a positive, and we need to approach the game with a positive mindset. We’ve had a good stretch behind us, but now everything resets. Now is when it counts. We know Besiktas well. They’re a strong team with good individual players, and they play fast, aggressive basketball. We’re expecting a tough atmosphere and a solid team that knows their assignments and how to attack their opponent. We’ll prepare accordingly. We’re aware of their weaknesses, and we’ll try to exploit them. I’m hopeful for a positive result."
Juwan Morgan, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica forward:
"We played great as a team in first game of the season [in the ABA League]. We defended well. The first quarter was a little rocky, but I think that just came with the nerves of being the first game. Overall, I think we just played as one and everybody contributed. If we come out and do the same thing in game versus Besiktas, I don't see anything different happening. I think we just come out, be ready, play defense and box out and we'll get the win.
Trefl Sopot vs. ratiopharm Ulm
Andy Van Vliet, Trefl Sopot forward:
"I am vey excited. For me, it's the first season playing in the EuroCup, and for the team it's first season in a while playing in the EuroCup. I think the first game will be very exciting, a lot of emotions. We obviously want to put Sopot on the map, to the best of our abilities. Hopefully, the game will be exciting and the fans will be there. Ulm is a very good team, they have a lot of very talented players. It will be a great test for us. It will be a tough game, tough battle, but hopefully we can come on top and get a win."
Umana Reyer Venice vs. Aris Midea Thessaloniki
Neven Spahija, Umana Reyer Venice head coach:
"I'm very excited about the upcoming season. We had some missing players during the preseason but now we are almost completed, missing only one player in the rotation. The team is growing every day and I hope we will continue to play the same level of defense we are showing lately. I'm sure our shooting percentage will be higher soon. Aris changed a lot, but we know the way they play. We saw a couple of their games, it is always a difficult team to play against. For the first time we play a home game and I hope the fans are going to come to support us and that we try to win this game together."
Tyler Ennis, Umana Reyer Venice guard:
"Obviously we want to come out and show the work we have put in. It's the first game, we still have something to work on, like other teams do, but we want to play with energy and play our game. I'm happy to play again in the EuroCup, I played few games in the past. It's a great competition across the board with a lot of great teams. We want to go out and test our talent and our team against the best."
Reyer injury report: Juan Fernandez out (muscle strain in the thigh), Kyle Wiltjer game-time decision (recovering from muscle strain in the pelvis).
Ioannis Kastritis, Aris Midea Thessaloniki head coach:
"We begin our season in BKT EuroCup on the road against Reyer Venice. It will be a very tough and difficult game for us, as our opponent has a deep squad with great quality and experience. At the same time, all the injuries that we had to deal with, didn’t allow us to get prepared in the way that we wanted during our preseason period. In any case, we need to be ready to give our best self. We have to take care of our defensive transition and defensive rebound, as Reyer likes to run a lot and scores many points out of second chances. These are two key factors of the game in my opinion. I would like to wish best of health for all the teams and the athletes and enjoy a great season in BKT EuroCup."
Vassilis Toliopoulos, Aris Midea Thessaloniki guard:
"This is the first official game of the season for us and we anticipated this moment. We had a successful run in last season’s BKT EuroCup and we are eager for the upcoming challenge. We know that now we will not be a surprise for the other teams, so we have to be even more thirsty and effective, to have a good season. Reyer Venice is a very good team and knowing our problems, having the absence of some key players, we have to give our 100% to reach our goal."