In just the second Euroleague season of his career, Unicaja center Daniel Santiago - who was named the competition's MVP for March - has proved to be his team's man in the middle when it counts the most. Santiago has used his classic post skills to help lift Unicaja in the the Quarterfinal Playoffs, the furthest the club has ever reached in the Euroleague. Santiago had the highest index rating per minute in the round and the second-highest overall. Most important, when the historic qualification and first place in their Top 16 group were on the line, Santiago did what was needed to push Unicaja over the top whether he had the ball or not. With the momentum of that push, Sanitago says that he and his teammates plan to keep rolling as long as possible. "We worked hard and played hard in our groups, winning certain games by a certain amount of points in each round, just to get to this situation," Santiago told Euroleague.net. "We definitely took care of business to have more games on our home court and now it's time to take advantage of that."
First of all, congratulations for being chosen the March MVP. Unicaja has made it past the Top 16 for the first time. What's the mood now on the team?
"First, I just want to give the glory to god, that he put me in the position to win this award. And I definitely have to thank my teammates, because obviously without those guys, there's no way I would win something like this. It's a great feeling for us right now. We're making history here for Unicaja, and it's an exciting time also because we’re so close together in this effort. We feel we have a chance to keep going. We have been concentrating hard on the Euroleague and for us to be able to win our Top 16 group says a lot, especially after we struggled in the first part of the Euroleague season. Things got better, guys got more confident, and we're more stable now after some injuries. All that shows our resilience as a team. I think that we're not done yet."
What does it mean to you to reach this important goal for the club and to be such a big part of it?
"It's a blessing for me as an individual to be a part of this great team we have. Obviously, we won the Spanish championship together last year for the first time. And I think the team and the club are growing together, and the city with us, since the people here really enjoy basketball. That's a hard combination to find, when all those elements come together. To be a part of it is really cool, to make history is even better, and to play with the great players I have as teammates from all different countries is also great. It hasn't been easy for us. The Spanish League is one of the top ones, and the Euroleague is tough every night. But accomplishing what we did last year and being where we are now says a lot for us as a team."
 You guys were close to the playoffs last year, too, with a team that had dominated the regular season. Is there some difference between this season and last that has made it possible to advance this time?
"I definitely think that there have been a lot more obstacles this year than last year. Maybe us doing so well at the beginning last year, going 12-2 after we got our rhythm in the beginning, maybe it was a little too easy: I don't know. Maybe we thought other teams would lie down and, of course, they didn't do that in the Top 16. This year has been much more difficult, quite the opposite of last year. The difficulties we have had maybe has pulled us together more. We're playing a lot better now and we have more confidence in each other. It's strange, but that's the way it goes sometimes."
You personally had some of your best Euroleague stats ever during March. What did you tell yourself for motivation as this goal of reaching the playoffs got closer?
"I just really know that the team was really depending on me to come up big in some of these games. And the team gave me the opportunity to do that. Obviously, scoring-wise, you can't get the ball without the pass. The guys were really looking for me. Defensively, I was just trying to do my part: intimidating, changing shots, whatever could be done for us to get the ball back. We played some really important games and it took everybody stepping up their level to succeed. What makes it easier for any one guy is if everyone is working hard together. I just had some big games, but the most important thing is that we won."
In particular, your shooting percentages went way up from the regular season to the Top 16, almost 15% on two-pointers and 10% on free throws. Is there an explanation for that improvement, precisely when the defenses get tougher and the pressure is higher?
 "I don't know. Maybe it's just the level of concentration. I kind of started out this season shooting free throws really bad. I don't know what was going on, but I've been practicing them since, knowing how important free throws are. I know that I am going to get fouled a lot, so it's important for our team to get to the line and make them. I was just trying to concentrate more. Hopefully, I can keep it going and not worry about missing too much. I just want to keep that focus."
Now you have Winterthur FC Barcelona in the Quarterfinal Playoffs. Do you prefer an opponent you know so well, even if that opponent knows you and your team equally well?
"It helps in some ways, yes. For one, it cuts down on the distance of travel. Knowing their guys also means the preparation will be something we are used to. Having played them two or three times already, hopefully we can use that to our advantage, although they will try to do the same. I also think it's a little more interesting because we're two Spanish teams and we have a little rivalry going with them as well. They should be great games. Our fans can go to their place, and their fans come here. It will make for a great series, I think."
Barcelona, of course, won the Spanish King's Cup on your own court in Malaga less than two months ago. Will that provide extra motivation in the form of revenge for your team?
"It had better. We've got to get revenge for that. We need to motivate ourselves in some way, in some form, and that's a good way right there. They beat us in the first cup game at our place, and going out in the first round like that was disappointing. We've got to try to get them back."
What factors can Unicaja use to its advantage in this series against Barcelona?
"I think the big thing for us has to be our defense, as well as being aggressive on the court. Barcelona has a good tem, with guys can do a lot of things on any given night. But so do we have guys like that, so I think the matchup is pretty even. I think defense will be the focus, however, and who will be ready on defense, because both of these teams can score, so it will come down to who stops the other."
The battle in the paint will be one focus of the series, with you facing both a veteran like Denis Marconato and a younger talent like Fran Vazquez. Do you have to prepare for those two in different ways given their own differences?
 "I've been playing against Marconato forever, it seems, here and in Italy, plus our national team games against each other - I don't know how many times. I kind of know what to expect with him and he does with me. That part of it is familiar, because we've been battling against each other for a long time. With Fran it's a little different. He's more of a four maybe than a five player. He's big and long and can block shots. I'll have to approach each one a little differently. But Fran is definitely getting a lot confidence and his coach has confidence in him as well. They will surely be good games, and we have to be ready for everything."
This will be a new experience for many Unicaja players and for the fans in Malaga who have been behind the team so long. With the homecourt advantage do you feel it is necessary to take this opportunity all the way to the Final Four in order to call the season a true success?
"We definitely have to take advantage of our home court and I am sure that our fans will help us. Barcelona is a more veteran team and its players have been this far in the Euroleague before. It will be very important, for that reason, to have fans support in that first game, maybe to just get all the jitters out or whatever. This is why we worked hard and played hard in our groups, winning certain games by a certain amount of points in each round, to get to this situation. We definitely took care of business to have more games on our home court and now it's time to take advantage of that."
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