May 25, 2012
Euroleague 2011-12, Qualifying Rounds, Quotes
BC Khimki Moscow Region head coach Rimas Kurtinaitis:
"I think there are no weak teams in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Round. It is a new season with new coaches and players and right now it is difficult to say which teams will be good or bad. It is not the worst situation to play against PGE Turow - it would be much worse to play against a team like, for instance, Galatasaray. It is difficult to analyze Turow so early, but I think we are a good chance to get to the Euroleague. Things may be easier for us if the played two-game rounds, because of the home court advantage and know what to do in Game 2 to qualify, but the system is the same for everyone."

VEF Riga general manager Emils Toms:
"We knew what to expect and I think that there are not weak teams in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Round. We just have to play everyone one by one and see what happens. I don't wanna say that we are a weaker team but in a way, the final eight format favours them. Anything can happen in one game if you prepare well for it. VEF Riga has a lot of tradition but returned just some years ago. The goal is to play at the highest level in Europe against the best teams. We want to built an organization able to fight to get to the Euroleague in every season. We just want to make a strong, consistent team for many years."

Belgacom Spirou Basket sports director Jacques Stas:
"The Turkish Airlines Euroleaguiq Qualifying Round is never easy for anyone - even when he managed to go through last season. We will try to do it again but of course, it is going to be tough and Donetsk is a very good team. Still, I must admit I am happy not to play Galatasaray Cafe Crown in the first round. I am happy with the draw outcome. Lats year, right after the Qualifying Round, I proposed the Euroleague to use the Final Eight format in one spot instead of travelling everywhere for three weeks. It was our idea to do that and I am happy it went through. It is less expensive and both qualifying rounds will be great basketball events."

CEZ Basketball Nymburk general manager Ondrej Simenec:
"It is about simple - one game can decide everything and we cannot lose if we want to go to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague. We are getting ready and preparing for the Qualifying Round. Our goal is to get to the last game and win it. There are no easy games at this level, so I cannot give an opinion about Banvit. We know it will be a tough opponent we must beat and get to the next level. We know it is a good chance for us. When we started to play in the Eurocup, we started to build a strong organization with the goal to reach the Euroleague. It would be a great honor - the Euroleague is the cream of European basketball, the top level."

Alba Berlin sports director Mithat Demirel:
"VEF Riga is a very interesting team with a lot of talent. It will be very tough to qualify to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague due to the lack of preparation, but everyone will be in the same condition. We will try to be ready and qualify. German basketball improved a lot last season and we are in a good position to be one of the best leagues in Europe. I hope all German teams will compete really hard and do well in the Euroleague and the Eurocup."

BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque team manager Romuald Coustre:
"It is a bit strange. When you play a European competition for the first time like the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Round, you expect to play a foreign team, but that won't be the case. We know Asvel very well and are expected to face team in pre-season, too. It is a great opportunity to make it to the next round, because we know we can beat them. It is a great excitement for us to be at this level and also a reward to the job we did in the last three years. We know that only two teams will advance, so all the others will play the Eurocup. It is a first step for us and we are building a 10,000-seat arena that will be ready in 2014, with the expectation to play in the Euroleague."

PAOK BC sports director Bane Prelevic:
"At this point of the season, by the end of September, every game is difficult no matter who you play against. None of the teams will be at their best level, but we will do our best to be as ready as we can to play against Galatasaray Cafe Crown. Our program as a club does not depend on one game or what happens in September. We have a four-year plan to develop a club that will be at the highest level in Europe, on and off the court. Even with that, we will fight hard in the Qualifying Round as we organize the team to be ready to play at the highest level."

Lietuvos Rytas sports director Martynas Purlys:
"Buducnost, as every team from the Adriatic region, is a very dangerous and difficult team. Last season, Buducnost made it to the Adriatic League final four and won the Montenegrin League and Cup titles. It is really tough to play a team like this but we will be ready to play. The final eight format is very interesting. We managed to win the Eurocup title under the same format three years ago. We are familiar with it and will be ready for that. Every game is a do-or-die one, which is exciting."

Galatasaray head coach Oktay Mahmuti:
"It is tough to make a prediction right now. The teams are not completed yet and we don't expect any easy opponent. Nobody gets to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Round being a weak team, of course. It takes place right at the beginning of the season so whoever is better prepared will have a good chance to go to the Euroleague. Everyone has to adjust and the one that does it better will have an advantage. It is a completely different approach this season with a final eight format. There is no room for mistakes, but it is a very exciting tournament to play so early in the season."

Asvel Basket basketball operations manager Laurent Foirest:

"It's a shame to face Gravelines in the first round. We would have preferred to draw a foreign team. Gravelines and ASVEL are two teams that know each other well and the series will be an open one. The level of this qualifying round will be already very high against difficult teams."
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Euroleague.net
PrintPrint Send to a FriendSend to a Friend ShareShare

Special Features

Interviews
Vassilis Spanoulis , Olympiacos Piraeus
Vassilis Spanoulis - Olympiacos Piraeus
Six months ago, fans outside of Greece would have recognized few of the Olympiacos players who were not named... MORE
Interviews
Kostas Papanikolaou , Olympiacos Piraeus
Kostas Papanikolaou - Olympiacos
Small forward Kostas Papanikolaou is a central piece of the young core of players that has led Olympiacos Piraeus... MORE
Interviews
Dusan Ivkovic , Olympiacos Piraeus
Dusan Ivkovic
Once again this season, Dusan Ivkovic showed why he is a living legend among basketball coaches by guiding... MORE

Submenu