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Gian Clavell, Prometey: 'I just want to win'

Gian Clavell, Prometey: 'I just want to win'

Interviews

31 October 20229 Mins read

Gian Clavell, Prometey: 'I just want to win'

Prometey Slobozhanske is in a unique situation this season. The Ukrainian-based club cannot play in its home country because of the ongoing war and thus has moved its operations to Riga, Latvia, after receiving wild cards from both the EuroCup and the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League to compete this season. Thus far Prometey is making Ukrainian fans proud, as it sits atop the Latvian-Estonian League and is 2-1 in Group A of the EuroCup Regular Season. Last week Prometey beat last season's finalist Frutti Extra Bursaspor 90-84 at home behind 26 points from Gian Clavell, who is the subject of this week's Eurocupbasketball.com interview. "This is literally the first team I have been on that we all are away from our homes," Clavell said. "So especially the Ukrainian players feel at home when [Ukrainian fans] come. They can talk to them. They feel their support. So, yeah, we feel very happy and are very thankful for those fans that travel and come to support us."

Hi Gian, congratulations on the win over Frutti Extra Bursaspor. What was the key to beating one of the powerhouses in the competition?

"First of all, I'm glad we got the win, especially against a good team like Bursaspor. They have been really good the last couple of years and it definitely was a big win for us. We just tried to be aggressive. We just tried to play our best game after the loss to Brescia. I think we lost by 34, so we needed to show a sense of urgency to go get the win."

"I think we've got a great team. We can really make some noise in the EuroCup."

You played against your former team. Was that an extra motivation in this game?

"Every time you play against a former team is always a form of motivation. But all I have is all love for Bursa. I have good memories, especially since my wife was pregnant when I was playing in Bursa, so I have a little extra love for them. But yes, I have good friends, I have a really good relationship with the trainers, so I'm glad I got to see them. It's always good to see some familiar faces and I can't wait to see them again in Bursa."

Issuf Sanon had a big game in that win. He’s still a young player. How good can he be?

"He can be really good, man. He can be really good. Of course, he is still young. He has to improve a lot of things, just like all of us, but he can be really good. If he can get consistent and get a consistent shot, I think he can take that next step to a bigger EuroLeague team, maybe NBA, you know, but he's got to stay focused, stay consistent and just put the work in."

D.J. Stephens is one of the most exciting players to watch in the EuroCup. What’s it like playing with him?

"It's easy, man! I love playing with him. I know last year I played against him and I didn't like playing against him because there's nothing you could do when they throw it up. He's just going to dunk, regardless, no matter what. But this year, I'm glad I can be one of his teammates. He's really a great guy. That's the best part of him. He's one of the best guys I've known and it's really easy to play with him. We have good communication, we got good chemistry. We understand each other and he understands the game which makes it easier for all of us to give him those passes and just make him a good player."

For fans who are not familiar, tell us a little about the logistics of the team this season with you guys being a Ukrainian team playing in Riga.

"Yes. So we are from Ukraine. We are from a little outside of Dnipro and they wanted to play basketball, so they moved to Latvia. And our team consists of literally half of the national team of Ukraine, the Americans, Ondrej [Balvin], who is from the Czech Republic, and Caleb Agada, who is from Canada. So I think we've got a great team. We can really make some noise in the EuroCup, especially because we have a really good coach who cares about the players. He cares about you getting better which is all you want from a coach, and we are a complete team. I feel we are very deep. Anybody can play 20 minutes or plus. We don't have to play 40 minutes a game, none of that. So I think that will be to our advantage for us once we get to March and April."

What type of fan support are you feeling from fans in Latvia?

"It's hard, man, because the team is from Ukraine, so people are really starting to get to know us here in Latvia. So sometimes they will come to games little by little. But like I said, I mean, we are making noise and that's how they are finding out about us here in Latvia, too. I know that Ukraine, for those Ukrainian fans that travel, or just stay here and support us, you know, we really appreciate them. We try to give them a show for two hours since they have some hard times over there in Ukraine with the war. So we're trying to just play as hard as we can for them and trying to represent Ukraine as best as we can."

We have seen groups of fans from Ukraine making their way to the games. What has that meant to the players?

"We love it, we love it. We feel like we are playing in Ukraine. This is literally the first team I have been on that we all are away from our homes. I mean, we all, literally, this is the first time I've been on that. We all are always from our homes. So especially the Ukrainian players feel at home when they come. They can talk to them. They feel their support. So, yeah, we feel very happy and are very thankful for those fans that travel and come to support us."

"We're trying to just play as hard as we can for [the fans] and trying to represent Ukraine as best as we can."

You played in Ukraine last season before the war. How did that impact your decision to sign with Prometey this season?

"Well, it's a fun fact from it. Prometey offered me last year before Budivelnik and I just said, no, I don't know why I said no. And I ended up signing with Budivelnik. And last year, with the war going on, they stopped all the games and stuff like that. So they came this year again and I said, 'you know what? I like this style of game'. I like the coach and I like the team that they had last year. They had a really good team with really good players that had good chemistry. So I wanted to be a part of a winning team. I wanted to win games and I feel like I made the best decision."

You will play against Joventut Badalona in Spain before the break. How much are you looking forward to that game? What needs to be done to get a chance to win at Palau Olimpic?

"Joventut is a good team, and they have good players: Kyle Guy, Tomic, Pau Ribas, and I think they have a Dominican point guard [Andres Feliz], as well. They have Joel Parra... they have a good squad over there, man. I feel like we just got to play our game. We got to rebound the ball, we got to play defense. We got to be locked in on defense for 40 minutes. But we know they are a good basketball team. They move the ball, they find the open guy. They really don't force anything. And then we just got to play our game on offense. We've got to run the ball and just move the ball side to side to get the easier shot, but it will be a good game. I'm excited to play against them. My wife is from Spain and like half of my family from my wife's side is from Spain. So I'm happy to go back to my second home."

As we look ahead, what would you consider to be a successful season for Prometey and for you, personally?

"For Prometey, I feel we can qualify for the top eight. I feel like we can be either from the one spot to the eighth spot, you know, either one of them or just to qualify and just make a deep run in the playoffs. I feel like we got the team to do it. We haven't even figured out how to play consistently. So I feel like once we figure that out, we are going to be a hard team to play against. So yeah, just go as far as we can. Of course, we want to go to the championship game and win it, but we are just going to take it one game at a time. We are not going to watch, to go into the future and just make so many outcomes, because you never know. But yes, just make the playoffs and then just go as far as we can. It's one game at a time. And then for me personally, I just want to win games, man. I just want to win games. I know I have been in leagues in which I always come eighth or always come seventh or just barely going to the playoffs. So I just want to win, man. I just want to win as many games. I just want to win championships. And individually, whatever the team needs me to do at that moment, at that specific time, I will do it. So whatever the team needs me to be, and win games!"