By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Friday delivered spectacular action and unpredictable results in the Semi-Finals played at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, with Fenerbahce kingslaying the reigning champions by beating Panathinaikos, and Monaco making history in reaching the EuroLeague Final with the shocking win over Olympiacos.
At the eve of the biggest game of the season, with the yellow-and-blue Turkish team and the Monegasque powerhouse contending for the title, it’s time for the press conference awaiting the 40-minute clash, scheduled on Sunday, 25th of May, at 19:00 CET.
Monaco was represented by head coach Vassilis Spanoulis and the all-around forward Alpha Diallo, while Fenerbahce was represented by head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius and the shooting sniper Tarik Biberovic.
The two head coaches were together in Panathinaikos, sharing the locker room as players, and now they will go up against each other.
“I would never imagine that Billy and I would be sitting in the press conference before the final game of the Euroleague. It’s one of the things I never thought about or let alone dream about. But here we are, it’s unbelievable,” Jasikevicius commented.
Vassilis Spanoulis joined him. “I always live in the moment. Knowing Saras and knowing myself, we love basketball. We are winners, we love to win, but we also love to compete. I never thought about it, when we played with Saras, mostly I thought about having a drink,” he joked.
“Saras is a winner, a competitor, a great mind in basketball. A great player and a coach, I have huge respect and appreciation for him. First of all, he’s my friend, he put discipline in his philosophy and convinced his team to play for him, for his system.”
“In the Final Four, you can win or lose, but to be six times in the Final Four is not easy,” Spanoulis said about his peer. “What he told me before the semi-finals, he told me, “Malaka, you know what’s the worst? That we don’t have the ball,” Sarunas continued.
Kill Bill’s mindset and Saras’ approach
The Lithuanian head coach also shared the importance of having Errick McCollum around. “When Scottie [Wilbekin] went down, we started looking around. We tried to go with the point guard direction a little bit, we got lucky with Errick,” he first mentioned.
“He’s very similar to Scottie in many ways, he can score the ball and create his own shot. The human part is extremely important, he fits in the locker room. It’s impossible for everybody to talk, because he talks so much. He’s a huge addition for us, yesterday was another example of the veteran leadership and the guy who’s not afraid of the big moments,” he added.
“I try to be myself, I’m trying to do my job in the best way possible. I can’t fake calmness, intensity. I have my personality, and I need to be myself. This is what I’m asking for my players. Don’t let the occasion make you do any different stuff, for the better or the worse,” Jasikevicius said about his attitude.
“When I started coaching, I said I couldn’t treat my players like I treated myself. I don’t know how much they can suffer and take that. Many players can’t accept it. I was another story. Every player and character is different. One thing is undeniable: you always need to reach your limits and put yourself out of your comfort zone,” Spanoulis also talked about his approach.
“I tried to take the best from every player, to stay ready. Everybody is important, we try to feel the game. I don’t prepare for who will play more or less. Coaching is a feeling and depends on the game. It’s a risk you take; sometimes it goes well, and sometimes you get criticized. But this is why we are here: to take risks.”
“I think he’s being himself. Composed, calm in situations. This is how he was: extremely focused. Billy is being Billy. It’s been working for him, why invent stuff?,” Saras said about his colleague.
Both of them were coached by Zeljko Obradovic in Panathinaikos, and managed to win together regardless of an extremely talent-stacked roster, full of personalities.
“That Panathinaikos team we had together had so many talented and good players. We found a way to play with just one ball, a lot thought we might need two or three. We found a way to share and shine; we found our ways to contribute, to be important,” Saras recalled.
“We were blessed to be under coach Obradovic, one of the best, if not the best, to ever do it. We had the privilege of working with him. You keep the best things from all coaches, and then you put your personality and own stuff. You always have to put your personality and your own thoughts,” Kill Bill added.
Talking about Zeljko Obradovic, Sarunas Jasikevicius revealed he texted him after the Semi-Finals, exchanging messages. “No messages for me,” Spanoulis said in a roar of laughter.
Alpha Diallo and Tarik Biberovic joined the show
While Vassilis Spanoulis and Sarunas Jasikevicius were the most asked during the Pre-Final Press Conference, sharing their knowledge and background from the best, Alpha Diallo and Tarik Biberovic also had their moment to express insightful answers.
“Being here is a great feat, it was an up-and-down year. Ultimately, this is the goal throughout the year, playing in front of this incredible crowd to fight for that first place,” Alpha Diallo commented.
“You get the players’ coach philosophy, they’ve been in the locker rooms and in situations we’ve been in. Certain things you’d never even think of. Having that experience is important. For them to give us that extra motivation, because they know what it takes to get to the top and reach it,” he added.
“If I had to pick a point where maybe things shifted, it was when Coach came in. He came in with a different philosophy and mindset, and we all had to buy into his philosophy. Once we did that, it made it easier for everyone and got us here,” Monaco’s forward followed.
Tarik Biberovic also praised the Lithuanian head coach’s way of conducting Fenerbahce. “Each and every one of us can shine in this system. We work throughout all of our lives for changes like this, it’s not something that happens overnight,” he said.
“You never know when it’s going to come. I’m grateful that the best basketball of my career is in the most important and crucial part of my career.”
“I was a little bit nervous before the Monaco game in last year’s Playoffs, and the coach realized it. After the game, he asked me about it, and because of ego, I said, “No, I’m not nervous,” I said. “Don’t lie to me, I know you’re nervous. If you’re not nervous, that’s a problem,” he told me. Your improvement is way better and faster if coaches understand you,” Biberovic said on Saras.
He was also asked about Bogdan Bogdanovic being a point of reference for the way he’s shaping himself as a sharp-shooting monster. “I didn’t know he was behind me [against Panathinaikos]. Bogdan was one of the players I looked up to when I was young, when he was in Partizan, in Fener, and then NBA. Our game style is similar, and I’ve always been a fan of him. I never hide it,” Biberovic revealed.
“Before that last game, getting that hump of Olympiacos this year was huge for us. This is a testament to our growth as a team and as a collective. A couple of us have been together for a few years. We try to improve every time,” Diallo also said about Monaco’s improvements.
“Everything starts from his character, he has a great work ethic. He’s a big winner and a tough guy. He’s always there for you, and I have full confidence in him. He’s always there to step up, and he’s very coachable. I’m blessed and happy to have Alpha with me. There’s a lot of room to improve, and he has big potential,” Spanoulis said about his all-arounder.
The two players exchanged compliments with each other. “Tarik is a really good player, I watch him a lot. He’s been playing really well, and he’s gonna be a good matchup,” Diallo said.
“Alpha is been amazing throughout the year, really an all-around player,” Biberovic shared. “To control emotions is very important; the psychological part in this business is very underestimated.”
“Everything you work for throughout the season is going to be summed up in one day. You have to be the best version of yourself. We try to prepare ourselves mentally as much as possible,” he said.