By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
BELGRADE, Serbia – It’s (almost) go time in Belgrade, as the 2024 Basketball Champions League Final Four is approaching. After having respectively taken down MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg and Promitheas Patras 2-0, UCAM Murcia and Unicaja Malaga will fight in the Semi-Finals.
Ahead of his first appearance in the BCL Final Four, Dylan Ennis shared his feelings with Eurohoops. “I’m very excited, I think we’re very prepared as a team. We played Malaga before, we know what they do, we’ve scouted them really well. I’m just excited for our team to go out there and compete as hard as we can”, the former Galatasaray guard commented after UCAM Murcia’s morning practice.
The two Spanish teams have booked their ticket for Belgrade in completely different fashions, opposite ways. Unicaja Malaga is trying to get revenge after last year’s elimination at home with the same core of players, while UCAM Murcia has turned the roster around in the summer.
“It’s great for us because there’s a lot of different personalities, a lot of different new guys. But we found a way to gel. It shows us being in this Final Four, we will continue to build on it”, Dylan Ennis said about his team’s path from the very beginning all the way to the Serbian capital.
He also touched on his opponents’ continuity. “Malaga has a team that was with each other last year, but it’s one game. We’ve been having a good year and we have a good chance”, he said. “There’s not one guy who’s gonna win this game. Both teams played their best when they were playing as a team”, he added.
Unicaja Malaga’s target will get the same attention as the green-and-purple team’s number 55. “Kendrick [Perry] is my boy and we’ve had great battles with each other. But me and him we both know we can’t win this by ourselves. We’re gonna win this with our team. I’m gonna make sure I do everything I can for the team and I hope we come out strong”, Dylan Ennis continued.
Belgrade means home to Dylan Ennis, who played here in 2017 first with Mega Basket and then with Crvena Zvezda. He’s now hoping to get some support from the red-and-white audience. “Zvezda fans, I love you guys. I bleed Red Star red, I hope you guys come out and support us. I’ve loved the love that you’ve given me all these years. I hope to see you tomorrow”, he finished.
PHOTO CREDIT: Basketball Champions League