Surprise, surprise!

February 10, 2012

Surprise, surprise!

Well it has been a while since I last wrote for the Euroleague website. Before I talked about the German national team and our way to the Olympics, then the experience of my first Euroleague season with Joventut and now I am back to tell you about Assecco Prokom Gdynia, probably the biggest surprise of this years Euroleague.

After my move from Spain to Poland many people asked me why I did it. The answer was easy: I wanted to play in the most competitive league in Europe, the Euroleague. I came to a team that had kept most of their players from last year and it took me a while to really land in Gdynia. I had to work my way into a good team that had won the polish Championship last year. Even though I struggled in the beginning, I have been able to find my role and contribute to the team's performance, especially in the Top 16.

Even though Prokom qualified for the Top 16 last year, we were not a shoe-in to do it again this year. We actually had to fight until the last game against Khimki to qualify, but nevertheless we made it. To be perfectly honest, I think we were the only ones who believed we could make it to the Playoffs, but when we beat Unicaja in Malaga, we put our name on the map. Then were able to wow even more people when we ended CSKA's 10 game winning streak on our home court.

Now we are here, the Quarterfinal Playoffs, a feat not accomplished easily, to go up against one of the strongest teams and a title favorite: Olympiacos. But we have a group of guys who are very athletic; our biggest strength has to be our ability to put tremendous pressure on an opposing offense. We know that it will not be easy, but every team that has made it this far will be a force to be reckoned with. So when we travel to Athens next week for the first two games of the series, we will be prepared to face that challenge.

POSTED BY

Jan Jagla - Gdynia, Poland

DATE:

Sunday, March 21, 2010