By Niki Bakouli/ bakouli@eurohoops.net
Lokomotiv Kuban is considered the favorite to win the Eurocup, as even Bilbao’s coach Fotis Katsikaris didn’t hesitate to give the Russian team this title. However, coach Eugeny Pashutin knows that nothing comes easy, specially when a trophy is on the line: “We fought hard to reach the final. At the beginning of the season, our goal was to reach the end of the road and of course to get the title. We have many players, with experiences from finals. We trust each other and we will be ready”.
– How tough was the process of you trying to help your players to get to know each other on the court?
“It was difficult and something we knew we couldn’t have from one day to the other. Above all, it’s really important to have faith at your abilities. It’s the one thing that can play a big part on how your team will act on practices and during the games. My job was to find the chemistry, to make them a team. From the first day till now, we discuss about how can we be better, how can we play in a modern and attractive way. There are so many things we still haven’t done, like reducing our turnovers, to get better on rebounds, to be more aggressive on our offense”.
– From the beginning of the season, it was clear that you will try to get a spot in Euroleague through Eurocup, because it’s easier than to try and reach Russia’s or VTB United League’s final …
“This is true. I wish we will take the trophy. It won’t be easy. Bilbao is an excellent team, with quality. But we need to get the title so we will return to our fans and to our administration the love we got all year long. And what a better way there is than a spot at next year’s Euroleague?”.
– Your budget is a Euroleague team’s budget. The pressure is also the same with a Euroleague team’s pressure?
“There is always pressure. It’s a part of our job. We learn to live with it. Without pressure, you don’t have any chance to succeed. The same goes if you don’t learn how to take this pressure and make it your extra fuel when you are on the court. When you want to play at a high level this is your reality. You need to be focus on every little detail, to user your advantages and to hide your weaknesses. The truth is we have many players with experience from a European final. Calathes, Maric, Hendrix, Jasaitis for example, know how to manage a final”.
– What’s the challenge on bring together players who were leaders of their previous teams?
“Nothing is easy, unless you work really hard for it. All of our guys are excellent people, with great personality. And that was the most important. The first thing they care about is the team. Not themselves. They trust each other and they know that if they stick together they can achieve in anything”.
– All year long you had way too many flights for Eurocup, VTB United League and PBL. You had to add this in how you could manage to take care of the freshness of your players?
“We have an excellent medical stuff and they are always helpful. There are too many people working for this team, contributing in how our players will be healthy. We have so many games and flights, which made a necessity for us to have a big rotation. If a player says he needs to get some rest, we will let him rest. We don’t take any risks on that matter, after we need everybody to have fresh feet and mind for forthcoming final”
– You have been labeled as the favorites…
“It’s a one game thing. It’s a knock out game. Bilbao has chances to get the trophy, as we have chances. It will be a tough game. We will prepare ourselves at the best possible way to fight for the title. The most important thing will be which team will be at the better shape that day”.
– You are going to face Fotis Katsikaris, the new coach of the Russians. What do you have to say about him?
“(He laughs) I don’t see it in that way. We are not the ones who are going to face each other. He is a really good coach, as his results show clearly. But I don’t want to say anything about Russia’s national team. It’s not the right time for that. I wish him though, to succeed… with the Russians (he laughs)”…
– If you got the chance which player from Uxua Bilbao would you get?
“Bilbao has really talented players, but I wouldn’t get anybody, since I trust my players. We also have experience and we have depth at every position”.
– At the beginning of the season (October 5th), you added Mantas Kalnietis…
”He is an excellent player, really well organized and with great experience. He is an important piece of Lithuania’s national team and mostly he is a combo guard. He helps a lot, he brings energy. Of course, he can be even better. There is a lot of room for improvement”.
– Your ultimate dream?
“What else? Like every other coach, I want to get titles, which prove you have done a really good job. I love my team and I want to help Lokomotiv to play at next year’s Euroleague”.