February 10, 2012
Playoffs analyst: Fernando San Emeterio, Caja Laboral
Fernando San Emeterio - Caja LaboralThe fiery Fernando San Emeterio is enjoying a career season for Caja Laboral this year, his second at the club. The do-it-all swingman has done just that - a lot of everything - to help Laboral overcome a rash of injuries, remain competitive and reach the playoffs. While various injuries caused six of his teammates to miss a total of 29 games, San Emeterio has been there for every one, always giving 100 percent. He ranks among Laboral's top three players in scoring, three-pointers, offensive rebounds, assists and steals. He outdid himself to start overtime of Top 16 Game 6 with a pair of triples as Laboral pulled a playoff spot from the jaws of elimination. Now, San Emeterio's efforts are certain to be key in a quarterfinal matchup with CSKA Moscow. "They know how to play games like these," San Emeterio said. "Only with strength and concentration at every moment can we try to overcome their experience."

Fernando, first, what was it like to save the season with 44 points in the last 3 minutes plus overtime as the Top 16 was running out?

"It's was like a miracle from heaven. The situation was very complicated. Most people thought the game was lost, but we kept believing and we came back. We were able to get to overtime, which is what we wanted in order to get the maximum difference. And it all happened. It was impressive, the kind of game that no one will ever forget. And it was so important. Now that we are in the quarterfinals, we are ready to fight to the maximum."

You now face CSKA, a team that beat you twice earlier in the season and holds the homecourt advantage. What are your thoughts on CSKA?

"They are a very tough team with lots of experience, lots of Final Fours and final games. So they know how to play games like these. We can only do our maximum, because that's what we'll need to try to win the series. Only with strength and concentration at every moment can we try to overcome their experience."

What are the things you have to watch out for playing against CSKA?

"I think they have three key players, who are Holden, Siskauskas and Langdon, all of whom are on the perimeter. But that's not so say they don't have interior guys who this year are helping a lot, like Kaun and Khryapa. We will have to use our aggressiveness, our fastbreak and our open-court game - which means we have to rebound well - to cause problems for them."

Caja Laboral reached the playoffs without Tiago Splitter, the latest of many injuries on the team this season. How did this team put injuries behind it so well?

"As you say, the truth is that we've had problems with injuries all season, but we've had to find out how to win despite that. Injuries don't just make things tough in games, but also in practice. We've been able to solve those problems to get this far, and now we hope that everyone will be with us to try to win the most important games."

In just your second Euroleague season, you have exploded, with almost triple your scoring average of a year ago and much more responsibility. How?

"Over the summer, I worked a lot in order to be able to play a lot of minutes for our team. Now that things are going well, I have to stay along the same line, to keep working so that my coach continues to have confidence in me and I am able to respond like I have been until now."
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Euroleague.net
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