ULEB Cup draw profile: Kalise Gran Canaria
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For the third time in four ULEB Cup seasons, Kalise Gran Canaria survived the regular season to fight for bigger prizes in the elimination rounds, this time winning Group G outright. Its 8-2 record was plenty good enough for a top seed in the elimination rounds draw that could pay dividends for a team that has lost just two home games in four ULEB Cup seasons so far. After losing a road game 71-63 at eventual qualifier Slask Wroclaw to start the season, Gran Canaria won eight of its last nine games, including a head-to-head finale against Asvel Basket, to rule the group. Gran Canaria's success in Group G won based on excellent rebounding, as the team ranked third in the entire competition with 35.7 boards per game and second on the offensive glass, with 12 per game. That was a team effort, however, as no single Gran Canaria player was among the best 20 rebounders in the regular season rankings. A swarming, high-energy game was clear, too, from the fact that 10 different Gran Canaria  players averaged between 15 and 25 minutes - and no one more. The only full-time starter, Carl English, put up 15.5 points on average and was among the first round's best free throw shooters. After him, defenses couldn't focus on anyone, as five players - Kornel David, Joel Freeland, Roberto Guerra, Marcus Norris and Sitapha Savane - averaged between 8.1 and 9.9 points. Another of this team's advantages is togetherness, as Guerra and a pair of veterans, Jim Moran and Victor Baldo, are still around from the club's original ULEB Cup team in the the 2003-04 season. Up-and-coming Mario Fernandez and late pickup Niklas Caner-Medley round out a rotation that can bring energy to both ends of the floor all game long. If it can continue rebounding so well, Gran Canaria will be in every game it plays, and if it keeps protecting its island home so well, the sky is the limit for one of Spain's most solid teams of the last decade.
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POST-DRAW REACTIONS | Kalise Gran Canaria head coach Salva Maldonado:"I think that we deserved to get the home court advantage. We lost out first game in Poland and won all game sbut one since that moment, losing against Asvel Basket only. We want to stay strong in this competition and make the most out of the home court advantage. That doesn't mean anything because we are facing a difficult opponent, but one of our goals is to survive enough round to make it to the Final Eight. All our opponents had strengths that made them dangerous. There are 32 teams left in the competition, so we need to go step by step." | Kalise Gran Canaria communications director Juan Ramon Marrero:"It is an honour to face a former Euroleague champion like KK Bosna. We have been playing well in the ULEB Cup season so far and put a lot of effort in the competition. We must stay solid for 80 minutes if we want to advance to the Last 32. Bosna already played against DKV Joventut so we have some references. We hope to reach the next round. We have been unbeaten at home in 5 ULEB Cup games so far. Our fans always helps us and that's a big factor for us. We must play well in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we have been playing better on the road in the ULEB Cup than in the Spanish League." | Kalise Gran Canaria sports director Himar Ojeda:"We are about to face a tough opponent, because any team coming from former Yugoslavia is a difficult one. It is a historical club trying to get back to uts glory days, as anyone can see by reaching the ULEB Cup elimination rounds. Mirza Delibasic started his legendary career at Bosna. There are no easy teams left in the competition, but we have the home court advantage. We must stay focused in Bosnia and come back home with a good score." |
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