By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Guided by Lithuanian tactician Sarunas Jasikevicius, FC Barcelona carrying a 10-5 record is tied with four more teams on the top of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings and domestically is 1.5 games behind Spain’s Liga Endesa leader Real Madrid.
“More or less, we are at the point we thought we can be. Holding on to the top positions in both EuroLeague and ACB, holding on being the key words,” head coach Jasikevicius described the current situation talking to team television channel Barca TV.
“I don’t think we have been playing good basketball. We haven’t been consistent. But there are many reasons behind those, injuries, lack of continuity…,” he added on the 2022-23 campaign so far, “The good part is that the team can get much better. We are far from our best version but still up there fighting for everything. We have plenty of room for improvement.”
Euroleague Basketball recently announced his hometown Kaunas as the 2023 Final Four host. Individually, it would be a treat to be among the head coaches surviving all the way to the Final Four.
“I know how much it takes,” he commented on his side potentially competing in the Final Four, “We are very excited. Kaunas has deserved to host it for a long time. I hope it can turn out well.”
The four-time EuroLeague champion as a player hopes to get started as a coach as well. The Catalonia giant is traditionally among the contenders and the same goes this season.
“I never feel this pressure,” he argued, “I try to exceed external pressure with my own. I always demand a lot from myself.”
Big games coming up for the team coached by Jasikevicius. Following a trip to Belgrade to face Crvena Zvezda mts in EuroLeague’s Regular Season Round 16 Friday, the next clasico against Madrid will be held in WiZink Center Monday, part of Regular Season Round 14 of the ACB.