By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
MANILA, Philippines – Alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and Andres Feliz, the 20-year-old shooting guard Jean Montero was one of the protagonists of the Dominican Republic’s win against Italy, going very close to a double-double with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists.
Following the victory, he talked to Eurohoops in the mixed zone. “The main thing was the defense. Besides the fact we were 0-12 in the first quarter, we put a lot of intensity on defense for the rest of the game: rebounds, closeouts, boxouts”, he said about what turned the game around.
“The first game is always the more different, you’ve got to feel the opponents. But in the second game, we had a great mentality coming off the bench and we can build up”, Jean Montero added about the psychological change he went through between the first and the second outing, before revealing his team’s objective. “The goal is to focus on the next game and hopefully we can get to the Olympics”, he said.
Back in March, when he had joined Betis Baloncesto for only a few weeks, he told Eurohoops that “Representing the Dominican Republic and its people in a World Cup is something that any player would be proud of”, and now his dream is coming true. “My dream is coming into reality. Being here, as one of the youngest players in the tournament, is what makes me unique. And makes me focused on my game and my goals, in life”, he finally stated.
PHOTO CREDIT: 2023 FIBA World Cup
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