Writing from Berlin Lefteris Moutis / moutis@eurohoops.net
Giorgos Bartzokas led Lokomotiv Kuban to the Final Four and Dontaye Draper remembered the 2013 Final Four in London hoping that Lokomotiv can do it like Olympiacos.
The American guard is the most experienced player of the Russian team in the Final Four stage and the ,only one alongside Voronov (who was, however, didn’t step on the court with CSKA), which has taken part again in the “big dance”
Eurohoops asked him if the lack of experience will hurt his team. The answer may surprise you: “Not at all! I am happy to be back in the Final Four and mentally my teammates are very strong. You see Randolph, Delaney, Singleton and understand that they are ready for big games. They are NBA players. Serious, disciplined. For them it is another day at work to participate in a Final Four and they know that they came here to finish the job”.
Meanwhile, coach Giorgos Bartzokas is the only one from the team who has won the Euroleague and Draper hopes that he can do it again: “Our coach is the man who knows how to bring our proper pressure in order to succeed. When he was the head coach of Olympiacos in 2013 and I was playing afor Real, they beat us by playing amazingly. So this year he has prepared us well and gave us what we need in ordero to win. He is an amazing coach who can prepare us on every level. If we do what we have been told by Bartzokas, I’m sure we will win. “