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ULEB Cup Final interview: Aleksandar Trifunovic, Lietuvos Rytas
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Aleksandar Trifunovic has taken the road less traveled to reach Charleroi and the ULEB Cup final as head coach of Lietuvos Rytas. Trifunovic only joined the club midseason and wasn't handed the reins as the head coach until shortly before the quarterfinals. Since then, however, he has pointed the team in the right direction, guiding it through a comeback second-leg win over Strasbourg in the quarters and then outlasting upstart FMP in the semis. Trifunovic's style of basketball, which stresses defense above all else, and the fact that he was a player not too long ago, have helped him reach his team. Now, they all know what could happen with a strong performance against Real Madrid. "It would be a reference for the rest of my career, and maybe a starting point for me, too, as it would mean future obligations for me and the club," Trifunovic told ULEBcup.com. "We want to win the ULEB Cup title and we will do our best to take it home."
First of all, congratulations on making it to the ULEB Cup final. The team overcame difficult situations in each of the elimination rounds against Snaidero Udine, Strasbourg and FMP. How was the road to the final for you and your team?
"The road was the only road possible, and that was a tough one. The series against Udine and Strasbourg were really difficult because we had to overcome a deficit in Vilnius. We never managed to have a good 40-minute game and both teams got great support from their home crowds, but we managed to get back to Siemens Arena and win both series. The semifinals against FMP were different, because we played our first game at home and approached the game as if it was the first half of the series. The win we got in the first leg gave us a lot of confidence, and that was good for our playing level. It was tough, but we managed to get to the final and now we have the chance to win the ULEB Cup."
You became the team's head coach right before the start of the quarterfinals against Strasbourg. How did you motivate your players and what has changed since Zmago Sagadin left and you became Lietuvos Rytas's head coach?
"I am lucky that I was available to take the job after working with Coach Sagadin for some time, because I know the way he works and that made things easier for me. On the other hand, our schedule was really tight, as we are playing three competitions at the same time - the ULEB Cup, the Baltic League and the Lithuanian League. So there was no time for radical changes in practice. The biggest change was trying to get better in parts of the game like defense and fastbreaks, as well as improving our confidence."
 You seem to be making the most out of your young players, too. Arturas Jomantas has impressed everyone with his speed and defense, while Tomas Delininkaitis and Mindaugas Lukauskis stepped up when Kareem Rush missed a game against FMP. How important are these three young players for you?
"I try to make my players function no matter how much playing time they get. In any game, players like Kareem Rush, Roberts Stelmahers or Arturas Jomantas can do well, but what I hope for is that every player tries to give his best to benefit the team. I think that these three players - Jomantas, Delininkaitis and Lukauskis - are very important for us, especially Jomantas, since he is a starter and he is a hard-working player, but also the youngest one of them. If he is not focused, it can be a problem for us, but I am sure he will be ready to help us a lot in the final."
Lietuvos Rytas is ready to face Real Madrid in the title game. What can you tell us about the team and what do you need to do in order to win the title?
"It is difficult not to stay good things about Madrid. It is a team full of stars, that had good results during the season. Madrid is a legendary team in European basketball, and this is something that is supposed to be motivating for us to have a good game and give a good performance on the court. We have to work hard, as I am sure our opponent will do its best. If somebody wants to beat us, they must show it on the court. It is a great chance for us and we want to bring the title back to Vilnius, so we will try to play a good game. We know a lot about Madrid, its keys players on offense and defense. They are a good rebounding team and we are aware of that."
Just like in 2005, a lot of Lietuvos Rytas supporters are expected to travel from Lithuania to Charleroi. How important is your fan base for the team's success?
"Our fan base is very important for Lietuvos Rytas. I am sure we will have a lot of support in the stands, especially in a game like this. Lietuvos Rytas deserves to be in the Euroleague because of its structure and all the efforts that everyone in the club is putting together. We are going to try to fight as hard as we can to win the title and return to the Euroleague next season."
You had a well-deserved reputation as a good defensive player back in the 1990s and now as a coach, defense also seems to be the main priority. How important is having Eurelijus Zukauskas, one of the best defensive centers in Europe, back in the lineup?
"Well, 'Zuka' is a big name in European basketball. He is a winner, he always had a great defensive game, was drafted by the NBA and had a big career, so it is good to have him for such an important game like this. Right now I am trying to use him as much as I can, as he can change any game when he is on the court. He was injured for the better part of the season and that was a problem for us. His experience is one of those things that can help us to win the final. He has already been there, playing big games, and that is important for us."
 More and more Serbian and Croatian former players are becoming top coaches before they turn 40. It happened with Zeljko Obradovic, but also with players like Velimir Perasovic, Sasha Djordjevic, Zoran Sretenovic, Dusko Ivanovic and of course you. How does it help having been a professional player when you become a coach?
"We cannot say it is a rule, it is more about the passion you have for the sport. Basketball is my life and I thought about becoming a coach some years before I stopped playing. I had already decided it five years before I stopped playing, but to me it was a logical step to take, because to me, basketball is my desire. I had to carry on being linked to basketball, and the best way to succeed is to work hard every day and stay very focused, no matter if you have a coaching job or if you are a general manager, player or anything else related to the game. You must follow the game, the opponents, check out what is going on in the basketball world... Basketball is not the same as it was as when I was playing. It changes a lot: new players, new education, new philosophies... everything is new. You must follow it and be there."
Who were your basketball idols when you were a young player and who are your biggest references now as a coach?
"I think that a basketball idol is something that makes you move and it normally is from a different generation than yours. I don't want to give many names, because I am sure that I will miss somebody, but I didn't have like a crucial idol to follow. As a player, I tried to catch a little bit of something and I was really keen on the NBA. I like the way Jason Kidd is playing now, and I like the way Scottie Pippen used to play some years ago. Of course, Michael Jordan is the basketball icon you cannot miss. You cannot avoid mentioning him. In my country there were also tons of big names who played before my generation and who we all followed. About coaching, I never used anyone as a full reference. There are a lot of people from whom I have learned and I had very good coaches when I was a player. Coach Sagadin helped me a lot and I learned a lot from him. When you speak about Serbian coaches, all the top European coaches that came from my country have something you can learn from."
The ULEB Cup final is just days away. What would it mean to win a second ULEB Cup title for your club and for you, getting your first European title as a coach?
"It would be a reference for the rest of my career, and maybe a starting point for me, too, as it would mean future obligations for me and the club. We want to win the ULEB Cup title and we will do our best to take it home."
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Sunday, April 08, 2007
Javier Gancedo, ULEBcup.com
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