Getting closer, getting ready
One of the great things about returning to the Euroleague is meeting up with friends who are also playing there. I have been on the phone a lot this summer and preseason making plans to meet former teammates of mine when I visit their teams' cities or they come to Athens. Of course, we'll be traveling to compete against each other, but at least after the games are finished, you can usually meet in the hotel for a drink and catch up with old friends. That's a part of the Euroleague experience I am really looking forward to again. I've got a lot of friends playing on other Euroleague teams, so I look at it as an extra incentive to win. If Panionios can keep qualifying to the next rounds, I can see more of them!
Speaking of friends, the friendly games of the preseason are ending for Panionios, and on balance, I'd have to say we feel like we now have a good, positive idea of who we are. The main thing is that this team goes out on the floor to win. We know that is going to become more difficult soon, when we play the CSKAs and Efes Pilsens and Real Madrids of the world. But in terms of our preparation, we are satisfied with the fact that we have won most of our friendly games and finished strong in the last few of them, this close to the real season. We won against some tough opponents lately, including Fortitudo and Avellino, the new Euroleague team from Italy. We also just played Khimki and won at home. This Khimki game was particularly good for us because I think that for sure they are one of the top 10 teams in Europe this season. Playing them gave us a chance to check out our possibilities, and I'd say we passed that test of preparing ourselves for what's to come. We now feel like we have things under control in terms of how we want to play and execute. We will keep preparing now for our first Greek League game. Of course, we want to take things game to game now, so we'll try to resist thinking too far ahead to our Euroleague opponents just yet.
One of the things that I think people will like about having Panionios in the Euroleague is our arena at Hellinikon Olympic Center, which was where the first half of the 2004 Olympic basketball tournament was played, on the beach road in Athens. It's like playing in a new gym, really, and I think it's one of the nicest in Athens. I don't know if Hellinikon was made for basketball only, but it feels that way, more than any of the others, I'd say. When the fans fill it up, there's a great atmosphere, with everyone almost on top of the court, creating energy for us. I haven't sat with them yet, but I know it must be a great place to watch a game. Those same fans have been waiting a long time to see some of the best teams in Europe play against Panionios, and they are very anxious for the Euroleague season to start on our court. They know it's going to be a very good opportunity for them to see basketball at its best. Likewise, those of us on the team know that with all their support, Hellinikon won't be an easy place to play for our Euroleague opponents.
We're going to keep doing our job until the end of the preseason, but like our fans, we can't wait for the real games to begin!
POSTED BY
Ivan Zoroski - Athens, Greece
DATE:
Wednesday, October 08, 2008