By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Experienced Brazilian guard Marcelo Huertas turned 39 on Wednesday. Stretching a very successful career even further is the next challenge.
Talking to Eurohoops about Lenovo Tenerife winning the Basketball Champions League in Bilbao, he capped off the interview noting he has a few more years of playing basketball. Get ready for more breathtaking showings shifting from FIBA’s top European club continental competition to the Liga Endesa Playoffs in Spain and from there spilling into the Brazil national team later in the summer.
Coming off a couple of exits in the Quarterfinals of successive editions of the BCL Final Eight, the champions of the inaugural season got back on the throne topping the field in the Final Four held in Bilbao between 6 and 8 May. Registering 10.5 points and 7.3 assists per contest, Huertas earned a spot in the Basketball Champions League Star Lineup Second Team before being named the Final Four MVP.
“Maybe having lost in those two previous seasons helped us in a way”
“It was a very good year for us as a team. We only lost two games in the group stage to MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg that made it to the Final Four. Obviously, they had a very strong team. We had a rough two games against them,” he said recalling the two defeats back in the Regular Season, “Other than that, I think we were very very solid throughout the whole competition, not only at home but also away. This allowed us to have the home-court advantage in both playoff situations, we had to play against Pinar Karsiyaka at first and also against Tofas just before the Final Four.”
The Canary Islands team went on an amazing 11-game winning streak stretching from Game 3 of the Play-In best-of-three series opposite Pinar Karsiyaka to the championship game versus ACB rival Baxi Manresa. A relentless run possibly fueled by being knocked out in the Quarterfinals of the last two Champions League seasons.
“We had experience about making it to the Final Eight the last two years and not being able to pull those games off. Both games were very close against Casademont Zaragoza and SIG Strasbourg,” pointed out Huertas, “We knew we had to make an extra effort, not only physically but also mentally to prepare ourselves well for the competition. We knew that all four teams making it to the Final Four this year were very very talented and physical, so it was going to be a real challenge for us. I think we had a very good preparation and it allowed us to compete at our best when it mattered the most. I think we deserved to win this year. Of course, we are very very happy with what we have achieved.”
“In the previous two years, I think we also had a good approach. We were good mentally. But having that experience, playing against teams maybe you think you should have won and you lose makes you come back stronger and have an extra focus whenever you are going to play those games,” he added, “Maybe having lost in those two previous seasons helped us in a way. We knew what we needed to do in order to win in these single-game situations in the Final Four. There is no second chance when you play in a competition format like this. We knew we had to leave it all out there and be really really focused.”
“It could have been anyone”
Being effective in end-game situations has always been a specialty throughout a long career stretching north of two decades. The former NBA player as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015-16 and 2016-17, also carrying plenty of experience stemming from the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, was the enforcer in both Game 1 and Game 2 of the Quarterfinals best-of-three series opposite Tofas.
“We knew if we played the way we practiced and prepared games, and if we had the right mentality, we would be a very tough team to beat,” he explained to Eurohoops, “I think we prepared ourselves well, we did a very solid season throughout the whole year. I don’t think there was a turning point where we had a bad stretch and we had to come back around and prove ourselves again. I think we were very solid from the beginning. Of course, we had some losses but not many, which allowed us to give a good dynamic. We never had a bad stretch of games which forced us to turn back around from a bad situation.”
“It all depends on how the game goes, the feeling you have. Against Tofas, in both circumstances, I think I had the game under control. I was feeling good about creating my own shots or for others,” he went into the Playoffs series, “They have a very big team, switching in pick and roll situations. The mismatches made it very difficult to attack. But in those situations, I had the smaller guy guarding me. I knew if I had the chance to make a good play out of it, it would be against him.”
Facing Berk Ugurlu, Huertas sank the game-winning free throw in Game 1 and followed up with yet another clutch effort, a close jumper with 1.2 seconds left in Game 2.
“I don’t really think about it too much,” he cleared up, “I think it is natural. If it was somebody else feeling it, the ball was going to go to his hands. We just have to play the game the way it is supposed to be and try to do the best for the team, regardless of me taking the shot, Gio [Shermadini], Kyle [Wiltjer], Sasu [Salin], Bruno [Fitipaldo], or whoever it was. We have so many guys that are really reliable in those end-game situations. It could have been anyone, actually.”
From the Playoffs to the Final Four triumph and the added bonus for Bilbao-born head coach Txus Vidorreta. Huertas himself was in Bilbao in 2007-08, playing under Vidorreta.
“I have no doubt of it. For sure,” he confidently replied to a question regarding the experienced tactician enjoying lifting the trophy in his hometown, “He was very excited when they announced the Final Four would be played in Bilbao. For him, it was an extra motivation to make it to the Final Four and be able to win at home with a lot of people just coming to cheer for him and for us. We have five guys on our roster that have been to Bilbao as players. It was going to be very special. No doubt for him, it was the most special moment, especially being able to win the trophy in his hometown.”