Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of the BKT EuroCup Quarterfinals
Quarterfinals: Pregame quotes
Članak
8 Min čitanja
Tuesday, March 11
Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (18:00 CET)
Zvezdan Mitrovic, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana head coach
"My friend and brother, Dejan Radonjic, took over the Bahcesehir team during this past season, when I was also still working in Turkiye. He has put together a serious team with the highest possible goals. Their ambitions are evident, and throughout the EuroCup season, it is clear that they are very focused on performing in this competition. In the challenging Group A, they were extremely dominant. They are well-covered in all playing positions, with a large number of experienced and quality players who have experience from the EuroLeague and even the NBA. It is evident that they are working well and seriously, and that the club has high ambitions."
Aleksej Nikolic, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana guard
"We will prepare for the quarterfinal as we do for every game this season. We are used to a demanding schedule, especially after two hellish weeks in January when the games came one after another. Nothing unusual – good rest after Sunday's game against Crvena Zvezda, recovery, and then back to work."
Devin Robinson, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana forward
"Every game is important, and the upcoming away game against Bahcesehir even more so. We are playing against a good team, which gives us additional motivation, and the last two home victories also help in that regard. We need to rest, focus, and continue in this style."
Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem vs. Dreamland Gran Canaria (20:00 CET)
Jaka Lakovic, Dreamland Gran Canaria head coach
"“We have a difficult game ahead of us, as it should be. We are in the quarterfinals of the BKT EuroCup, where the best eight teams have been selected. We are happy to be there, but our work is not done yet. We have a lot of ambition and enthusiasm to play this game and try to do everything we can to win it and qualify for the semifinals. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem is a physical, athletic and talented team. The dangers of this team come from [Jared] Harper and [Khadeen] Carrington. Harper has had an MVP season in the EuroCup. Something that is rarely seen is that he goes to the free-throw line 11 times per game and draws 8 fouls per game. Collective defense on him will be very important. Another creator that stands out is Carrington. These two scorers and team builders are, in my opinion, the best. We don't have to forget about the rest of the players because they all have a lot of quality. That's why I think we have to be prepared and play focused and with intensity from the first minute to the 40th."
Wednesday, March 12
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv vs. Turk Telekom Ankara (18:00 CET)
Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv head coach
"We are approaching this game as if it were a final. We need to play aggressively, work together as a team, perform at the highest level, and try to win."
Bar Timor, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv forward
"We are facing a talented team that convincingly defeated Buducnost in the Round of 16. They have eight high-quality foreign players, along with local talented players who bring great energy and add depth to their squad. We expect an intense game, and in order to win, we will need to dictate the pace from the very start."
Valencia Basket vs. U-BT Cluj-Napoca (20:30 CET)
Pedro Martinez, Valencia Basket head coach
"Both teams want to win. We have to do our job. All matches are equally important. We don't have to think that this game is more important than the one we played in Round 1. The consequences of winning or losing, we don't have to give much importance to this or think too much about it. We will play our game, prepare ourselves against a very good team and give our best. This is a team that plays very well on offense. They have a lot of points and a lot of small, skilled players, who score from the outside, who penetrate. It will be complicated, but we know that and we will try to do the best defense possible against these players. Let's see if [Jean] Montero can train and in what conditions. And we hope he can help us. It's not an injury that we are afraid he might relapse. But if he is well today and does an important part of the training session, we are counting on him."
