By Stefan Djordjevic/ sdjordjevic@eurohoops.net
CSKA Moscow and Anadolu Efes have had quite a bit of ‘intro’ to the upcoming Final Four clash and it will without a doubt serve as a lesson and certain motivation coming into the semifinal game.
Efes will without harness the ‘revenge’ factor as they were eliminated by CSKA in 2019 while the Russian team will try to repeat the same, with the knowledge they gathered from the 30-point regular-season loss in March.
“It’s a totally different game but we learned a lot of things from the first game we won and the second game we lost as well. From the losing game, we learned that we won’t start the game the same way, which was not energetic and kind of soft. We need to hustle a lot and every possession should count as the final possession for us,” Tornike Shengelia stated, giving extra importance to the start of the clash.
Daniel Hackett added to the importance of the loss in Turkey, reminding that coach Dimitris Itoudis prepared a hefty video session for the team which they won’t forget.
“It was a pivotal game during the regular season, for them and for us. On our side, we had a pretty good video session after the trip to Istanbul when we came back to Moscow. We remember it very well and what was said. In a very humble and respectful way, we will come out there and fight. It’s one game. we’re down the road of a long journey, and we will try to honor this journey by fighting with all we have inside of us.”
When it comes to being prepared not only strategically but also mentally, Shengelia gave props to the coach and his way of handling things.
“I just try to not be over-excited. It’s an exciting moment and a lot of feelings are running through our bodies and minds. I try to stay calm, never too high, never too low kind of mentality. Coach Itoudis has a lot of experience and I think he’s been doing a great job recognizing which player needs what and talks to them individually.”
Hackett, on the other hand, may have some extra pressure on him as he got a lot more responsibility after Mike James’s departure. However, Dani knows what to expect and gave a shoutout to teammates who’ve been helping him lead the team.
“I feel responsibility every day I put on this jersey. Towards the club, the coaches and my teammates. I understand that my role has changed because of certain situations but my teammates help me feel comfortable out there on the court and this confidence helps me play my game. I’ve been told to be more aggressive, to play my game and run the team. This is simple, I’ve been trying to do it in practice every day and it translates to the game. I have to say teammates helped me embrace the new role but for me it’s always the same – do the right thing on the floor no matter the minutes.”