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I'm no furtune teller, but...
Hello everyone! Greetings on a shiny, sunny day from Istanbul. It's really like summer here and makes me feel like I'm on my way to summer holiday instead of practice! But the reality is that we have to work harder than ever to complete our mission. Maybe you are wondering about our mission. So let me tell you a little bit about it.
I told you in my first blog before the Top 16 starts that Tau Ceramica is the favorite team of our group for first place. The progress of the group has proven that. I also claimed that we would be digging for second place with Lietuvos Rytas. I'm not a fortune teller, but everything is happening the way I told you.
Of course, it was good to win against Lietuvos Rytas on our home court, but I'm still feeling uncomfortable because we missed the chance to win this game by a larger difference. We had a 15-point lead in this game but weren't able to save it until the end. But of course, winning is very important, too. It still seems like we are going to be in a battle for that second spot. But now, the advantage is on our side. It might not be so very important if we lose to Rytas on the road, if we then can beat Tau Ceramica in the last game in Istanbul.
Anyway, it would be a great success for us if we reach to the quarterfinals. To become one of the top eight teams will be the biggest achievement we can imagine, because there are plenty of great clubs with big budgets and to reach the same level of those clubs will be an extraordinary success for us.
By the way, we are seeing my young teammates on fire in the last couple of games. They are doing great job and it helps the team to move further. If we keep on playing like this, we can surprise people even more. I really have to open a big parenthesis for Omer Asik. He is a great talent who really intimidates our opponents with his defense. He is one of the top players in blocked shots in the Euroleague and also at making opponents in the paint afraid to shoot. Also Emir Preldzic, Gasper Vidmar and Semih Erden after his injury are getting better match by match and that's good for the rotations on our team as well.
When I think about the game we played last week against Lietuvos Rytas, I remember that those kind of things could happen anytime. In fact, the same thing did happen a year ago in Istanbul, in the game between Efes Pilsen and Prokom Trefl, which also went to overtime after a basket on the buzzer was decided after to have been late. The only thing I can criticize from our situation last week is that the decision to play overtime could have been taken sooner. We waited in the locker rooms so long, nearly 45 minutes, and that's really too long for the players of both teams after losing so much energy in the game. To sit and have your legs and muscles get cold and then return back in the game is not an easy thing to handle. It also raises the risk of injury, so I am glad that nobody on either team was injured.
A funny thing happened in the locker room before the overtime decision. We were sure we had won the game with Willie Solomon's basket in the last second of the fourth quarter. We took off our tape, bandages and uniforms, we had showered already and were changed. So when the decision was announced, our head coach, Mr. Bogdan Tanjevic, went crazy when he saw us with our regular clothes on. He started shouting and his voice echoed around in locker room while we put back on our wet uniforms and socks and went to the court. The truth is that, even though we thought we had won already, I felt happy in one sense that the game would have an overtime: That's because we were planning to win with a better difference. Then, even though we had a 7- or 8-point lead in overtime, we missed the chance to keep it high due to a couple turnovers, but at least we won it - again.
It was nice to celebrate that victory twice, especially with my five-year-old son Yigit and my wife Asli, who are always at Abdi Ipekci arena to watch my games. I also love to see them watching me, because I can feel their support in my heart. That's very important for a player, as I am reminded every time I see them there. Abdi Ipekci Arena is such a large arena, with a capacity of 12,000 fans, that sometimes it's strange with 4,000 are there and the place seems empty. Most of the arena's around Europe hold 6,000 or 7,000 fans, which I think is the perfect size. I am sure that if they see us with the chance to reach the top eight teams in Europe, the Fenerbahce fans will be at least that many, and maybe even pack Abdi Ipekci. Anyway, the club is hoping to have its own arena soon on the Asian side of Istanbul, in Kadikoy, and that will be great for all Fenerbahce fans if it happens.
So that's all I have for today. Hope to talk to you again...in the quarterfinals.
Enjoy yourself,
POSTED BY
Omer Onan, Istanbul
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