If you missed Oriol Pauli’s blog, there is great news! The MoraBanc Andorra guard is back blogging on EuroCupBasketball.com for a second season. After six years with Gran Canaria, Pauli decided to make a change and moved north to play for Andorra, where he is in his second campaign. Pauli helped Gran Canaria reach the EuroCup Finals in 2015. Now he is in Andorra with his trusted dog and Instagram star Moxi. Don't miss Pauli's blog right here on EuroCupBasketball.com!
Oriol Pauli, Andorra: ‘We will go all in'
Blogs
5 Mins read
Hello again! Here I am, ready to keep telling you what's going on at MoraBanc Andorra. It was hard for us to find our way at the beginning of the season, but we did it. We found the way to compete and win games. At this point, the team is playing well, fighting for every win until the last second. We needed some time for the new players to adjust and find their roles, but we got to that point already. We played several games at a high level and got two wins in the EuroCup, including one on the road, which is always important. We are happy and eager to keep improving and growing as a team.
One of our new players is Codi Miller-McIntyre, who leads the EuroCup in assists and had a double-double in each of our two wins. We expected a lot from him and he found his role. At first, it looked like he wasn't comfortable on the court, but he found the way to help the team. I am very happy that he is playing at such a high level because, in the end, he is a player who has the ball in his hands a lot so when he is confident, everyone around him is better. We are lucky to have him and I hope he can keep playing at such a high level because I am sure that he will lead us to a lot of victories.
"We are lucky to have Miller-McIntyre and I am sure that he will lead us to a lot of victories."
It is not an accident that we outrebounded our opponents in those two wins. We won the battle on the boards by a lot. From the beginning of the season, it is something that [head coach] Ibon has stressed. He wants us to be aggressive on the boards at both ends. That allows you to run and get second-chance opportunities. It is very important to be strong on the boards. We have a physical team and have to make the most out of it. We did a lot of things well in those two games and rebounding was one of them. That allowed us to compete well and win.
Our only loss was against Lokomotiv in Krasnodar. Johnathan Motley killed us. I am not surprised that he has been MVP of the Round twice already. He played great against us. We were surprised, all of us. He had a strong start and looked unstoppable against us, but Motley kept going after that. When he played against us, it looked like we did a bad job against him and were not able to stop him, but he is doing the same against everybody. I hope we can find ways to stop him when he comes to Andorra. Lokomotiv is always a tough team, full of great players.
The trip to Krasnodar was tough, especially on the way back. We arrived two days before the game and that allowed us to rest and be ready for the game. The calendar is better for us now - we play three of our next four EuroCup games at home and the road one is in Badalona. We had a tough start to the season, in which we played on the road a lot, especially in the Spanish League. Not only did we play on the road a lot, but against tough teams. The team is improving and feeling more and more confident. It is time to be strong at home. I hope we can win some games in Andorra and be even more confident going forward.
Playing at home doesn't mean easier games, though. We face Partizan at La Bombonera in Round 4. It is the kind of game everybody wants to be a part of against one of the favorites to win the competition. Playing against teams like Partizan or Lokomotiv is special, especially at home. Our people will help us a lot, there will be a great atmosphere. It will be a cool game to play. I know Partizan is a tough opponent. Did you see the end of their game against Joventut? Kevin Punter hit three tough shots to win it. They are really talented but we are confident. We are looking forward to playing against him and showing we are here to fight and reach as high as possible. We will go all in.
"The team is improving and feeling more and more confident. It is time to be strong at home."
Of course, the atmosphere is better. When you are winning, it is easier to make jokes. The first anecdote that comes to my head is that unfortunately, our physical trainer tested COVID-19 positive after the trip to Russia and had to be confined for a few days. His backup never travels, but he had to this time and since he has traveled with the team, we’ve won all three games. He has become our lucky charm and we joke about it. After the game in Hamburg, we got together and tossed him in the air!
Finally, I would like to recommend Guille Colom's YouTube channel. He talks about the NBA and is doing better and better. Guille always explains things with a sense of humor and it is hard to be that funny on YouTube, but he is. So go to this channel for a good time, there are videos in English and Spanish! You will learn a lot, too!