By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
BELGRADE, Serbia – Twenty four hours and it will be go-time in this year’s Basketball Champions League Final Four, and as usual the Pre-Tournament Press Conference took place on the competition’s eve.
This time on a unique pattern, as the Basketball Champions League Final Four will take place on an innovative glass floor. Captains of the respective teams spoke about such matter. “It’s not slippery at all, I’m looking forward to play here”, Peristeri’s Leonidas Kaselakis began.
He was followed by Marcelinho Huertas. “It’s something unique, different. As of now we haven’t had the chance to practice on it but only to take pictures, and it felt good. I hope it’s very successful, it looks great and it’s gonna be very exciting”, the Brazilian icon said before praising Joe Ragland, his opponent tomorrow.
“Joe [Ragland] has been tremendous, he has been playing for such a high level for a long time. He has been putting up crazy numbers, scoring, assisting, and being the leader of the team. We will try to neutralize him as much as we can, we will find some kind of weaknesses”, he commented on Peristeri’s leader.
Joe Ragland’s teammate came back to what brought their team all the way to Belgrade. “We do believed in it even we were 0-3 in the Round of 16. The turning point was the win against Karsiyaka at our home which gave us the confidence to continue. If you don’t have anything to lose you gain confidence. And finally we achieved it”, Leonidas Kalesakis added.
Of course, they won’t be the only protagonists. Nemanja Radovic, UCAM Murcia’s captain, also took the microphone. “[Belgrade] is a very special place for me. Now that we’re here I’m really happy, like a team we made a great job during the whole year. Our greatest tresure is unity. We respect Malaga but we deifinetely came here to fight”, he commented.
Nemanja Radovic is excited to play against his national team partner Kendrick Perry in the Semi-Finals. “It’s actually feels great. When we’re playing in the national team I have great relation with him, we’ve been in a lot of stuff. It’s gonna be very interesting to play with him tomorrow”, he commented.
Alberto Diaz, who came up fourth in last year’s Final Four at home, praised UCAM Murcia’s defensive abilities. “[Howard] Sant-Ross and [Rodions] Kurucs are the biggest defenders of the competition. Their defense is really tough. It’s a huge team and we have to take care about them”, he said. “I’m feeling privileged to be here and be part of a team that has given so much joy to the city of Malaga”, he also expressed.
It’s a Spanish party for Vassilis Spanoulis’ first Final Four
After the press conference with captains, it was time for the four head coaches, with a lot of attention for Greek national team and Olympiacos legendary icon Vassilis Spanoulis, who has now brought Peristeri to the Basketball Champions League Final Four.
Greece’s head coach took the microphone first. “A lot of people didn’t expect us to be here, but I did. I told my players to be themselves, to play just like they’ve done all year long, and nothing will change”, he first commented. “We have motivated and hungry players which want to make something special for their careers”, he added.
“Luckily, I don’t play anymore. My players are the stars, the protagonists who will decide the game”, he continued praising his team. Looking back at the 2023-24 season, he’s proud. “Nothing comes easy, we have had difficulties that have created our character and our momentum. Now it’s easy, it’s time for enjoyment”, he also said.
Vassilis Spanoulis will go up against Txus Vidorreta’s Lenovo Tenerife. “Every Final Four is difficult, we are here with the same idea. Jaime [Fernandez] is in our heart and mind with such a huge injury. We have 40 minutes against a top team that has had great evolution, ready to put our 100%”, he said. “Players like Marce [Huertas], Gio [Shermadini], Sasu [Salin], Aaron [Doornekamp] have enough experience and have played several Final Four”, Tenerife’s head coach added.
Asked if he will change something from the defeat in the ACB against Unicaja Malaga, Sito Alonso kept it calm. “In my opinion, sometimes, when you’re trying to change too many things, sometimes you forget your identity. We are living the dream: BCL Final Four, Kings‘s Cup, being close to the Playoffs in Spain. We have to keep dreaming”, UCAM Murcia’s head coach commented.
Ibon Navarro then took the microphone. When asked if it’s possible to draw some similarities between last year’s Malaga and this year’s Murcia, he came up with one common aspect. “Both teams kept the same philosophy, the same system, but both with one more year together, making the fundamentals more solid”, he commented.
Finally, he looked back at his first Basketball Champions League Final Four with UCAM Murcia back in the 2017-18 season. “[Facing them] is a weird feeling, I have great memories of my time in Murcia. I have great relationship with a lot of people from the club. It’s a little bit weird getting to face them in the Final Four”, he concluded while also dedicating one thought to former UCAM Murcia’s president José Luis Mendoza, who passed away last year.
Watch the first BCL Final Four Press Conference:
PHOTO CREDIT: Basketball Champions League