By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Outside the Czech borders, Vojtech Hruban is not a household name. However, everyone who follows the Basketball Champions League knows his name.
The 29 years old forward is currently the fourth best scorer of the competition, averaging 18 points per game, while CEZ Nymburk has a 2-4 record and has won two out of the last three games. To be exact, Hruban scored 20 points in the 72-71 road win against Fuenlabrada.
“I am quite satisfied so far”, says Hruban to Eurohoops. “Due to some injuries and some players trades I had much more minutes and shots than usual, but now when everybody is back I will be very glad to swap points per game for some wins”, he admits since the goal of Nymburk is to be in the next round.
The Czech club is fighting for a spot in the next round and Hruban is a big part of this effort. Since 2013, Hruban is a member of Nymburk after leaving USK Prague and he is currently playing the best basketball of his career.
This is not a surprise. Hruban is a member of the national team since his teenage years, he was the 2012 All-Star Game MVP of the Czech league and he is preparing for the biggest challenge of his career with the Czech national team.
For the first time in their history, the Czechs have qualified for the FIBA World Cup and while Thomas Satoransky and Jan Vesely are the starts of the roster, Hruban had more than a supporting role. He is averaging 12 points per game in the qualifiers with the Czech national team and he was the hero of the crucial 77-73 win against Finland on the 29th of June by scoring 30 points.
The Czech Republic booked the ticket for China on the 16th of September by beating Bosnia on the road (85-80) and Hruban had one more good game with a total of 17 points.
A six-time Czech league champ, a three-time winner of the Czech Cup and a member of the Czech national team since 2010, Hruban who has never left the Czech Republic is finally turning heads on the big stage.
“It’s the first time for the Czech Republic national team so our ambitions are bit unclear, but we feel confident and definitely we want to advance to the second phase”, says Hruban. “After that, anything can happen”.
However, September is still a long way to go. For the moment, the Czech scorer and Nymburk are focuses in the Basketball Champions League and they grow alongside the competition.
“We are in the Basketball Champions League from the first season and I have to say, quality is growing every year. More and more good teams are joining and as regular participants, we are very happy about that”.