By Stefan Djordjevic/ sdjordjevic@eurohoops.net
Anadolu Efes has been on the right track to fight for the big prize in the EuroLeague Final Four and the team, which has been together for a few years now, has been in a good place mentally.
The Turkish squad’s star Shane Larkin recognized a difference compared to the last time they showed up on the big stage.
“Everybody’s good, there’s good energy, we all feel good. We’re all excited we’re all grateful to be here and there’s good energy around the team. I think we all know why we’re here. The first time we were just excited to be in the Final Four and everything was a new experience. But this time, we know what to expect and it gives everything a business approach to this trip,” he said.
Team captain Dogus Balbay praised CSKA for their offensive capabilities but is far from scared of it as he knows Efes has got the big guns as well, and that they have done the homework on the opponent.
“They have many amazing players who can score, who are athletic, who can defend the ball. It’s a complete team and it will be hard to stop them. But we are also an amazing team and have a lot of weapons on the floor. We have our system ready, practiced everything we are going to do against them, we analyzed them very well. Hopefully, we can carry it over to the actual game.”
That said, coach Ergin Ataman made a somewhat deeper analysis of the Russian squad’s offense and explained his opinion that CSKA has been playing very differently before and after parting ways with Mike James.
“CSKA is a different team from the beginning of the season. They played with more baskets, more scoring, more running game with Mike James. But after Mike James, they play more halfcourt, physical game with, especially now, they use more Hackett, Clyburn, Shengelia. It’s a different style. On the court, we’ll have two different strategies, especially offensively.”