|
With one half of the regular season almost over, it's a good time to get to know some of the new faces on Euroleague benches. The logical choice to begin with: Tomo Mahoric of Union Olimpija. The Slovenians are a revelation this season, tied for second-place in what many consider to be the toughest group. With a young team and a new coach, few counted Union Olimpija as the strong contender it is now. In a Euroleague.net interview, Mahoric said his team now has the confidence it needs to continue. "We simply have to keep doing what we've been doing until now," Mahoric said. "I also know that it won't be easy to do so at the pace we've set, so we have to be ready for hard times, too."
First, tell us about what it's like being a new coach in the Euroleague at a time when European basketball is more popular and respected than ever. How do you feel being part of it all?
"This year, after the Euroleague has contracted and only the best 24 clubs in Europe compete, I think it has been a big step forward and the format to follow into the future. The organization, the officiating and everything that makes up a big competition work perfectly. For Union Olimpija, as the only representative from Slovenia, it's very important to do well in the Euroleague."
What have been your first impressions of European basketball at its highest club level, the Euroleague?
"As opposed to last season, this year you can't say before any game which team will win. Every game and all 24 teams are very equal and it's very difficult to say which team will win the cup this year. From my point of view, there are at least 12 teams that can make it to the Final Four. For me and our team, the most important thing is to play our best both in the Euroleague and the Adriatic League, because only like that can we keep growing until the end of the season."
Your team has been the big surprise through the first six games. How have you made that happen?
"To be sincere, before the Euroleague started, I never thought about how many games we were going to win or which teams we had to beat. With the budget posibilities that we had, we just wanted to form a homogenous, well-selected team and get the most possible oout of it. We see now that we had a good nose for players and some good luck. I am convinced that is the way to keep going, but I also know that it won't be easy to do so at the pace we've set, so we have to be ready for hard times, too."
Olimpija has always been famous as a "talent factory". Is that still the idea in Ljubljana?
"That's certainly the impression we give. Olimpija has never been able to compete with the biggest teams in Europe from a financial standpoint, so it always had to sign young, still-unprvoen players with little experience. With a lot of work and hard practices over years, many of them became major figures who now player all over Europe and in the NBA. This year, there were many changes, not only among players but management, plus the budget is down, so yes, we have to stick with the same strategy as before."
Let's talk about Group B: What is your assessment, having seen every team but Panathinaikos until now?
"At the start of the season, it was said that Group B is the strongest, and the first six games show that. It's the most difficult and even group, and it has some of the best coaches in Europe, such as Zeljko Obradovic, Bozidar Malkovic, Dusko Ivanovic and David Blatt."
What has been the key game for your team in the Euroleague so far? Which result has influenced your team's chances the most?
"Without a doubt our first game against Unicaja in Malaga. We surprised one of the favorites in our group on its own court to start the season, and that gave us a big push. For our young players it was very important to see at the very beginning of the season that they could win against any team."
What will be the key for Olimpija after this break, as it strives to make the Top 16?
"It's not a difficult recipe. We simply have to keep doing what we've been doing until now. First, work without stop and hard practices. Second, that the team stay together and confident in itself. And of course, you always have to count on some luck."
One last question: Your team is in the lockerroom in Tel Aviv, Malaga or Kaunas, what is the emotion you feel right before you go out on the floor for a Euroleague game?
"Well, I would have to say that I feel more relaxed playing on the road than at home. There is less pressure and, for most games, you have nothing to lose. For most of us, the sensations you feel on courts around Europe are totally new."
|