By John Rammas / irammas@eurohoops.net
BERLIN, Germany – Although no one was expecting them to reach the final, the Spanish national team will be looking for their fourth gold in a EuroBasket. With expectations far exceeded, Spain will face the match against France without pressure, but with the hunger that characterizes the team.
“It is a tournament in which we have experienced everything: losing a game, playing very badly, starting the games badly, having bad moments, coming back against very tough rivals…”, explained Willy Hernangomez, remembering how the tournament unfold for this revamped version of the Spanish national team.
The Spanish national team is rarely considered an outsider and that’s why Willy wants to enjoy it: “It is a game which you have to enjoy. We don’t have any pressure, I think the hob is already done. Still, we have one more step left. That ambition that we have, that characterizes us, is going to come out. We are going to give everything once more, we are going to leave everything on the floor and enjoy a final. I think it’s an incredible, unique opportunity, so we will fight for gold .”
In a team with so many rookies, the captain’s presence is key in the locker room. The words of Rudy Fernandez after defeating Germany reached deep inside them as Willy admits: “Rudy is a very affectionate guy who I have known for many years. When he says those words, he means them from the heart. He is a person who has been having a hard time personally and who relies a lot on his teammates, on us, in basketball, and who gives everything for this sport. We have to be very grateful to the captain, what he does and what he is going to do”.
For the eldest Hernangomez brother, this final will also be a personal challenge. He will face Rudy Gobert in the paint, whom he describes as “the best defender in the NBA”: “He is a very tough player, the best defender in the NBA, but if you want to be one of the best centers you have to face them and accept those challenges. Let’s go for it .”