By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
After eight years, Laboral Kutxa Vitoria Gasteiz returns to the Euroleague Final Four. In order to lift the trophy at the end of the weekend and claim the continental crown, it will likely need contributions from everyone on its roster. That includes forward Kim Tillie, who is having a strong second season in the competition and with the club. In his mostly starting role, Tillie has used his size, speed and athleticism to become one of the key pieces that turned Laboral in the best rebounding team in the competition and Laboral’s defense into one of the toughest to shoot against.
However, it was the offensive spark he provided Laboral in the first two games of the playoffs that spoke volumes about a confident team that will aim to win its first Euroleague title in Berlin. Tillie, a member of a sports family, breaks down his team’s playing style and believes that doing what they do well is the best way to be successful in Berlin. “Our main strength is that when we play fast, we play well. When we get defensive stops, rebound and run, we are a very difficult team to stop, because we run fast and take quick shots,” Tillie told Euroleague.net. “The key is to get defensive stops, get the rebound and, if we do that, we will have a good chance.”
Laboral will play in its first Final Four in eight years. This is the first Final Four appearance for you personally. How exciting have these been past weeks in Vitoria?
“It has been really exciting! It has been an incredible season for us. We worked very hard and finally all of our hard work paid off, you know? It is a dream for a lot of players to play in the Final Four and now we are here. We have some days to go and everybody is thinking about it. We are already preparing for the Final Four.”
You really came up big with career-high 11 rebounds in Game 1 of the playoffs and 10 points, mostly down the stretch in the overtime win in Game 2. What do your performances in such big games speak about your team and its readiness?
“I think that, for these playoff games, I was trying to bring a lot of energy to the team – always talking to my teammates, trying to transfer my energy to them, especially on defense. I had a lot of hustle plays: steals, blocks and things like this. I tried to help my team the most I could with all these things, especially offensive rebounds. I took a lot of offensive rebounds to have more possessions in these games, and I think I helped my team by doing that.”
What do you expect to be the biggest challenge for you guys ahead of the games in Berlin?
“Of course, the biggest challenge is the first game. We are going to do everything to try to beat Fenerbahce. We have to stay focused and I think that our biggest challenge is to have the whole team healthy and ready to play. We had a lot of players who couldn’t play in the last couple of games. Fabien [Causeur] has been out for a month, Hanga pulled a muscle in the playoffs and now Jaka Blazic twisted his ankle. I hope everybody will be healthy and ready to play in the Final Four.”
You have had quite a few character wins, at home and on the road, during the season. You played – and won – four overtime games, beat powerhouses like Barcelona and Real Madrid on the road. What have those wins done for your team as the season went along?
“We played really well at home, no question, and all these wins helped. We only lost one game, I think, at home in the Euroleague. We were not very good on the road at the beginning of the season, but improved a lot, like you said, beating Barcelona and Madrid, two quality wins. We have to learn from this and do the same for the Final Four. It will be on a neutral court, everybody will be on the road, so we will see what happens. We will be ready for the game.”
You will face Fenerbahce Istanbul in the semifinals. What do you like about them as a team, and what do you see as their biggest strengths?
“They have a lot of strengths! They are a very well-coached team and have a really deep rotation. They have versatile ‘5’s in Vesely and Udoh, while Antic can play at the ‘4’ and the ‘5’, and he can shoot. Datome is a very versatile player, too. I think we have to play our regular rules on defense, with loads of intensity and physicality to stop them as much as I can.”
Like you just said, Fenerbahce has a deep and versatile frontcourt, but you have been the best rebounding team in all of Euroleague. What do you see as the keys in those battles in the paint and on the glass?
“Our main strength is that when we play fast, we play well. When we get defensive stops, rebound and run, we are a very difficult team to stop, because we run fast and take quick shots. The key is to get defensive stops, get the rebound and if we do that, we will have a good chance. We get a lot of steals when we play aggressive on defense, connected. When we play together on defense, we get to run and play more freely, with less pressure.”
You are a part of the team’s core that has been together for two seasons now. But what in your opinion is the key to your team’s toughness and improved defense that has led you to Berlin?
“I think it is the way we practice. Like I said, we practice really hard every day; we work, and work, and work. Finally, we can see that the work paid off. We never relax. That’s the key. In some games, when we relax, we lose. We have to understand that if we play tough defense for 40 minutes, we have more freedom on offense and can do a lot of things.”
There is a great legacy of French players in Baskonia, and this is a good moment for French basketball, too, as Strasbourg reached the Eurocup Finals. The last French player to win the Euroleague was Antoine Rigaudeau in 2002. How great would it be to win for French basketball and all French players who played for your team?
“It would be amazing! Now that we are here, our goal is to win, we don’t want anything else! We are not just going to go to play one game. We are going to win and with this goal in mind, anything can happen. It has been nice to have French teammates like Thomas [Heurtel] and Fabien in the last two years. It has been really fun; I like to keep this legacy going. French players are at the highest level – we have a lot more players in the NBA and Euroleague teams, and Nando De Colo had a great season with CSKA.”
You have a great sports family. How are they experiencing this achievement? Will we see them in Berlin?
“My brother plays professional volleyball and he just won the Polish League! It is a great achievement already. My parents are very proud of us and want to see us succeed at the highest level. My brother and my father will not be in Berlin because they are already with the national team right now, preparing for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. My young brother will be there. He plays for INSEP, which qualified for the ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT. He is injured, very bad luck, but will be there to watch my games.”
Being only two wins away from making history, what would winning the Euroleague title mean to you and Baskonia fans?
“It would be the greatest title in team history – and this is a team with a lot of tradition. If we can add this title to the club’s roll of honors, it will be like a dream-come-true. Like you said, it is just two games… And in just two games, anything can happen.”