By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid center Edy Tavares saw himself being named to the All-EuroLeague First Team for a second straight year after being once again a towering force for Blancos inside the paint on both ends. It’s a high achievement but not enough for the Cape Verdean big man who would also want to combine it with winning “Best Defender” award for a third consecutive season.
“For me, it is always a goal to win the Defensive Player of the Year because I love to win the trophy,” Tavares said when Eurohoops asked him if it’s an extra motivation for him ahead of the Final Four that he wasn’t voted the DPOY this season. “I think it’s a team effort, I think it needs a lot of hard work. Not many players wanna do this [the hard work]. I think I should have won this year but I respect Kyle Hines. Hines has being well-known his whole career. It is what it is, maybe I can fight for it next year.”
Tavares finished second in the voting for DPOY behind veteran Hines who claimed the trophy for the third time in his career after 2016 and 2018.
Real Madrid and Tavares will be entering the battle of the Final Four Thursday (19/5) by facing archrival Barcelona in the second of the two semifinals. The Blancos have suffered losses in every single game this season and overall competitions against their big opponent after winning in the Spanish SuperCup Final in September.
“This one is different,” Tavares said. “It’s the Final Four. It’s extra hard because it’s one game to make the Final. Every game against Barcelona and this is more special than anything else.”