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Tuesday, September 11, 2007
30 games in 8 days...and counting
Hello again! The games only get better and better here at Telefonica Arena. Vassilis Spanoulis provided a highlight by firing in an eight-meter three-pointer to make Greece beat Croatia 81-78, but you all probably know about that. He raced downcourt, faked the shot, sat Zoran Planinic on the floor and buried the biggest shot seen in this round so far. I have been backstage for a long time, as the best place to meet players is not only the organization hotel, but also the ever-changing mixed zone, which is never the same place for two consecutive days. Spain beat Russia in one of the best games so far, Portugal upset Israel and almost sealed its quarterfinal chances. Italy sank Turkey 84-75 in overtime, Lithuania had no further problems to beat France while Slovenia took care of business against Germany. Oh, and I asked Patrick Femerling about his socks. "I have always wore long socks since I was in college and I found this special brand that I love," he told me. I said that a lot of players are copying him nowadays and he joked about it. "Well, maybe I became a model for all of them," and laughed as he went away. Alba Berlin will be lucky to have Patrick on the team this season. He is nothing but a natural-born winner.
Team Portugal keeps surprising everyone. They all were quite mad at the Spanish press, since most of them will play in the Spanish second divison and they said they were not treated with the respect they deserve. Well, they shocked Israel playing very good basketball, showing that every single game counts. Take Israel, who did a fantastic job even before the start of the tournament and had 7 terrible minutes in the beginning of the game where it blew all the good work done so far. Lior Eliyahu showed what he is can do with extended playing time by posting 29 points and 9 rebounds, but the man of the game was Joao Gomes with 23 points and 11 boards. He is athletic, left-handed and potentially a good Euroleague player who needs to polish his game a bit to reach very, very high. Joao Santos is a great competitor and so is hard-nosed playmaker Mario Fernandes. In other words, Portugal is a team of warriors who played in the way... Israel plays against bigger teams. Yaniv Green, who had averaged 21 and 14 in the last 2 games, scored his first points late in the third quarter against Portugal. "We came to play hard and that's what we will do until we have no more games left," Francisco Jordao said after the game. It was funny to see Croatian players, especially Marko Popovic and Mario Stojic, greeting the best Portuguese players in the mixed zone. That win allows Croatia to get closer to the quarterfinals. "Bravo, maestro", Stojic told Fernandes.
I spoke to two-time Euroleague winner Zoran Cutura right before Croatia faced Greece. He was obviously worried about his up-and-down Croatia. "Coach Jasmin Repesa is trying to rebuild the team chemistry without the absent players, playing with two point guards and Marko Popovic mostly at off-guard coming off the bench, trying to change the game rhythm. Nobody, absolutely nobody knows how far we can go in this EuroBasket," he told me. You all know what happened right after our talk. Mario Kasun dominated in the paint and Planinic run the show to give Croatia a 13-point lead with 16 minutes to go. Dimitris Diamantidis stepped up to bring Greece back to life, joining forces with Theo Papaloukas to get a five-point lead in the final minute. Popovic helped Croatia to tie the game in the last seconds before Spanoulis delivered. It was time to meet the boss after the game. "Hey, what's up, man?", Papaloukas said with a smile. I have been worried about Team Greece and its overall perfomance, but Theo told me not to worry. "This win is very important for psychological reasons. We needed it to get back to the rhythm of winning games. The last time that we lost two consecutive games was at the (2004) Olympics", he said. Papaloukas is as motivated as ever and you can see it while he is on the bench. By the way, did you know that Damir Markota of Croatia was persuaded to play basketball by a friend who lived near him in Swedenmany years ago? That friend happened to be Maciej Lampe, now playing for BC Khimki. Who would have thunk it: Croatian and Polish basketball stars knowing each other in Sweden as kids.
The best entertaining act at Telefonica Arena is "The Kiss Cam", also present at the 2006 Euroleague Final Four in Prague. Those people who are shown on the video walls have to kiss each other and it was a laugh in the Spain vs. Russia game, since the game well pretty much over at the end of the third quarter. Spain showed its best version again, even when fast break points don't come as oftn as they did a year ago. Felipe Reyes battled hard against everyone in the paint, Jorge Garbajosa was back in the starting five and Jose Manuel Calderon was once again the floor general. Entering the game, everyone thought that Spain could struggle without Calderon on court, but Carlos Cabezas provd everyone wrong. Mikita Morgunov keeps having a great EuroBasket, as well as Aleksey Savrasenko, who is giving 110% on court despite announcing that he will leave the national team after this tournament. He said he is not useful. I must say and in my opinion, Savrasenko is still a key player. The everlasting Zakhar Pashutin keeps pacing Russia off the bench at age 34, playing way better than a decade ago. Team Spain is loved by an entire nation, not only because it wins, but also because it is full of regular guys who speak to everyone. Dozens of fans wait for them outside the organization hotel. This Spanish Dream Team is as famous as the Rolling Stones in this country.
I met Ermal Kuqo in his hotel right before the Turkey vs. Italy game. I opted to talk with him about the upcoming NBA Europe Live game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. "It is going to be something big, Javi, I am looking forward to it, we have a pretty good chance to beat them," Ermal said. "Plus I am looking forward to meeting (Wolves GM) Kevin McHale. He is my all-time favourite basketball player. I always followed him, being a Celtics fan as I am". It is impossible to disgree with the always smart Mr. Kuqo, first because he is right, and then because he is tall and strong. It's true, Efes has put together a nice team able to finally reach the Euroleague Final Four. Time will tell, anyway. Speaking on GMs, the only VIP who is watching every game live is none other than Maurizio Gherardini of the Toronto Raptors. Time to ask him about one of his many European players, plus his opinion on an European rising star. "I am very pleased on the way Rasho Nesterovic is playing in this tournament. He is one of the reasons why Slovenia is being one of the surprises on the tournament. About Roko-Leni Ukic, he will also be playing for Coach Repesa in Lottomatica Roma next season. That is helping him to play with more confidence. He tried different stuff. He is ready to play a major role in Rome," he said, with his usual charm. In a way, Gherardini is the Flavio Briatore of basketball. Cool as he can be. With its pride hurt previously in the tournament, Turkey brought back what the Turkish press calls "the spirit of Japan", but it lost to Italy 84-75 in overtime despite 34 points from Hedo Turkoglu. It was Angelo Gigli who stepped up big for Italy right when it mattered, setting a do-or-die game against Germany on Wednesday.
Lithuania and its incredible fans got next. I have them two meters behind me, making as much noise as possible, even though when you have been at Final Fours in OAKA, Nokia Arena or Palau Sant Jordi, nothing seems too much. Ronny Turiaf, who looks A LOT like the genius in Aladdin, the Disney movie, has no less than four pre-game ways of shaking hands with his teammates. The most common one is two hi-fives and a naval salute. It was Ramunas Siskauskas' 29th birthday today and he was especially motivated. Saras was his usual self, giving 110% on court. The biggest secret around is where Jasikevicius will play next season, but I guess he has to talk to the Golden State Warriors first and then decide. Other rumors around are Charlie Bell close to sign with Olympiacos - which would make him the Reds' 13th new player this season! - and Goran Dragic sent on loan to Union Olimpija. Lithuanian coach Ramunas Butautas used Simas Jasaitis and Rimantas Kaukenas against Tony Parker and the French superstar went crazy. Batautus is ready to become one of the best coaches in European basketball, so follow ASK Riga in the ULEB Cup this season. Fast breaks, wild three-pointers, alleyoop dunks, up-tempo game... and Lithuania not only stays unbeaten, but pleases everyone.
Speaking on team chemistry, few squads have it better than Slovenia. Players like Bostjan Nachbar, Sani Becirovic, Sasha Vujacic, Beno Udrih and Primoz Brezec have to adjust to the new situation and help preserve what guys like Jaka Lakovic, Nesterovic, the Lorbek brothers or the great Matjaz Smodis have created in this tournament. German coach Dirk Bauermann is one of the hard-working guys in the business and was writing notes all alone throughout the Turkey vs. Italy game earlier in the day. I wish he could involve more players in its offense, however, as by the final quarter The One is quite exhausted. Still, when you have a player like Dirk Nowitzki, it is tough not to play the way Germany does. Smodis managed to shut him down for a while, outscoring him 8-4 in the opening 7 minutes until Matjaz picked up his second foul. Nowitzki lost his rhythm and his supporting cast did not step up while Lakovic, Nesterovic and Goran Jagodnik boosted the Slovenian lead to 9-30. Game over at the end of the first quarter. Slovenia and Lithuania, two basketball crazy countries, with small population but big pride and talent, are the only teams unbeaten in the competition and are ready for a good showdown on Wednesday.
That's all from me now. I ripped my jeans trying to get out of my desk here at Telefonica Arena and had to buy new ones. I have seen 30 basketball games in 8 days and guess what: I am addicted, I WANT MORE! Get ready for an exciting week and don't forget that we have a long season in front of us. It will be a very, very special Euroleague season, I can guarantee that.
POSTED BY
Javier Gancedo, Euroleague.net
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