By Niki Bakouli
After two seasons at the States, David Andersen left the NBA for the comfort of Europe. That was bad news for everybody, except Siena that signed him. Now he has the chance to return to the Final Four for the first time since Berlin in 2009, if he can overcome the obstacle of Olympiacos. Just before the tip off of the Euroleague play offs he was kind enough to answer the questions of Eurohoops,net, with the help of the exquisite Press office of Mens Sana Siena
– First of all about Siena having rough times during this season (with injuries) but still manages to qualify to Euroleague’s play offs. What it takes to be that strong? Heart, determination, abilities, experience?
“It’s been a difficult season. We had some problems, some players where hurt, but in a big team like Siena we have a lot of players and the group did a great job of covering up the weaknesses from the injuries. Some players stepped up and this is what a good team does, this is what,it is expected, I think, by a team like Mens Sana”.
– What can we expect from this series? Of course details will make the difference. But you have home court advantage and the “know how” of qualifying over Olympiacos to reach Final Four (something Siena did last year). What it needs to be done so you will become finalist? And what you need to avoid to keep Olympiacos away from Istanbul?
“For us it’s gonna be a tough series. Olympiacos is a big team, a big European power house, it’s been around for a long time. They have a good team, good coaches and we are expecting a big fight. It will be a hard series but we have the talent to overcome this kind of tough team. For us to win we have to look at the details. We need to be on our game, we need to know are places, where we need to attack. Rebound is gonna be a big thing, but I think the biggest is going to be team defense. In big games scoring becomes more difficult and defense has to step up and getting out in the fast break really helps”.
– You played with Joey Dorsey of Olympiacos at Houston. Have you talk to him, from the moment you learned you are going to play against each other? And you know what you have to do to win him?
“Joey is a tough player. He got a big body, he is very athletic, he loves to throw down the slam dunks. Hopefully we will have more versatility, I will open up the floor and I will make him come out to got me. But it’s gonna be difficult and Olympiacos has many good players”.
– After playing at the Euroleague and the NBA, which league has more excitements after all for a player and why?
“NBA is a different style and a different level. The athleticism is different but what I like in the Euroleague is that’s a more intense game. Every player plays hard from the first jump ball and for me it’ s great. The fans also are a little more crazy here, they sing songs and really get into it. So I really like playing European basketball and Euroleague basketball”.
– You took the crown at 2001 (Virtus Bologna), at 2006 and 2008 (CSKA Moscow). You pretty much have win everything there s out there. Who do you think (and why) is going to this year’s Final Four?
“Who I don’t know. They are eight teams that can go. Obviously favorites like CSKA and Panathinaikos are gonna be strong, but even us, we played a good season and we have good players, so maybe people are saying about us that we need to go. For now there is an opportunity to go in the Final Four, but we will see”.
– And a comment about the Turkish teams and Armani Milano, which gave plenty of money to reach Europe’s elite but they didn’t manage to do that….
“It’s the game of basketball. You can’t just put a team together and expect that it would go to the Final Four. It’s very difficult. Every team here is professional, the got good players, they are put together by a very smart management, so it’s not easy to build a winning team and have a winning attitude. Many things that come along make a difference. For us as Siena we got a really good group of players, we have great chemistry and maybe that is what makes a difference when you come to difficult games”