By Lefteris Moutis
Khimki started the season to star in Euroleague. But the plans changed, after the failure in the qualification round. So they launched plan B: to win the Eurocup and get directly qualified in next season’s Euroleague.
One of the leaders of this effort in the Final Four that takes place in Khimki’s court in Moscow is Thomas Kelati, who has the “know how”. Two years agohe won the trophy with Valencia in the “best moment” of his career and just before he tries to make the repeat, he remembers to eurohoops.net that season, he feels confident about his team and eager to return to Euroleague. Also he wonders saying, “Why not in Olympiacos?” drawing from his mind what happened three summers ago.
-Do you feel as the favorite of the competition?
“No, anyone can win the trophy. The only advantage of us is that we play in our home court. We practice and play here for several months, we will have with us most of the fans and we will have extra energy cause of them. But you can underestimate any team in such a competition”.
-In semifinal you will face Spartak, a team that you know well and have beaten twice this year. Is it easier for you?
“We know them well, it’s easier for us, but for sure it will be a tough game. However, Eurocup is a different competition with different rules. In Russian championship we must have all the time two Russian players on the floor, but for now the coaches can pick any line up they want and use their best players. So, we must forget our two wins and concentrate how to win the semifinal”.
-How do you feel that in the biggest favorite in the second semifinal is Valencia and maybe you must win them to reach the trophy? It’s your ex-team and you won with them Eurocup in 2010. What have you narrated to your teammates for that final four?
“I love the team, I still have contact with people of the team, but it’s too early to talk about them. We are focused only on Spartak, because if anything goes bad there, we will not have the chance to play in the final. It’s unbelievable feeling to win the trophy. It’s the best moment in my career. I was there also with my teammate, Matt Nielsen who was MVP. So, both of us have transferred the message to the team for the emotions after the trophy and everybody has as main target to win Eurocup. It will be a huge accomplishment”.
-The challenge to play again in Euroleague gives you an extra motivation?
“Everybody thinks about it. The team at the start of the season expected to play in Euroleague but he failed in qualification round. The next step is to win the Eurocup, because the players, the club have are really ambitious. It was a good seven-month journey but now there two do-or-die games in front of us”.
-Khimki’s roster fits for Euroleague. Do you have still in mind that if you were better on September, you could play there?
“We are pretty good team. The idea was to play in Euroleague and compete against the best teams in Europe, but we failed. So winning Eurocup is a great opportunity for us to keep our team and play next year in Euroleague. Look also, the team that won Euroleague last year, Panathinaikos. They have the same team for many years and they have great advantage. So, I hope to win Eurocup and have next year even better team in Euroleague. I can’t wait to get back to Euroleague”.
-You have played two seasons in Euroleague but you missed the chance to play with Olympiacos. Do you have bitterness cause of that?
“I try to live my life without looking back. I am disappointed only because I really wanted to play in Olympiacos. It would be a step up in my career to play in a great team like Olympiacos. They told me that I’m injured and I couldn’t play but after that I have played three years without any problem. It was their decision, so it’s ok for me. But who knows? Maybe one day they will call me to play in Olympiacos. But definitely, I don’t have any bitterness…”
-So, would you accept any offer from Olympiacos in the future?
“Yes! Why not? Maybe it will be regret for the past. Things are changing all the time… In any case, it would be childish to keep adversely emotions against a team like Olympiacos, one of the best teams in Europe”.