Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of Round 8 of the BKT EuroCup, and who might be missing in action.
Round 8: Pre-game quotes and injury reports
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7 Mins read
Wednesday, November 13
U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs. 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys (18:00 CET)
Mihai Silvasan, U-BT Cluj-Napoca head coach
"It will be a game just like any other in the EuroCup. I mean, I am sure it will be a very hard game. Even though they do not have the consistency they are looking for, we know how good they can be. We are in the same situation, we do not have the consistency we want. They are a tall team, they play an aggressive type of basketball, with educated players. Against Turk Telekom and Cedevita they played well. Some players will be missing for us, but we will fight for a victory. We want a victory in order to compete for the playoffs."
Adam Mokoka, U-BT Cluj-Napoca guard
"Definitely it will be a tough game. We know they can fight, having big size and energy. It will be a special feeling to see Andrija Stipanovic, but we know we cannot give them any chances. We need to win, this is our expectation."
Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul vs. Dreamland Gran Canaria (18:00 CET)
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ratiopharm Ulm vs. Bahcesehir College Istanbul (19:00 CET)
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Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem vs. Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse (19:00 CET)
Yonatan Alon, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem head coach
"We will face a very, very tough and highly trained opponent. A team that made it to the finals last year, and it will be a good game."
Jeremy Morgan, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem guard
"Anytime you are playing a good team it’s gonna be a fight and it’s a big game so that’s why we just got to come ready to fight. it’s coming down to the little things, It’s gonna come down to offensive rebounds, 50-50 balls and those are the little things that we have to get on our side."
Frederic Fauthoux, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse head coach
"The Hapoel Jerusalem team is a serious competitor with good defense and team play. It's a new challenge that awaits us, and it's going to be a difficult game again. We will have to put in the intensity for this away game."
Brandon Paul, Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse guard
"Tomorrow is an important game against a talented team that has a somewhat similar style of play to us, it will be a challenge for us, and we’re looking forward to continuing our sense of urgency on the road!"
Umana Reyer Venice vs. Turk Telekom Ankara (20:00 CET)
Neven Spahija, Umana Reyer Venice head coach
"Finally, we're back to playing at home after a series of very tough away games. We’re improving day by day as our players recover. Our fans will help us in this game. Turk Telekom is a very strong and well-coached team; they've strengthened with Angola and Smith, two fantastic players. They are capable of playing different styles of basketball, both offensively and defensively. They're truly a solid team."
Jordan Parks, Umana Reyer Venice forward
"We want to keep growing and building our identity. We came very close to two important wins on the road in our recent games. Now we have a deeper rotation and we need to be ready. We want to keep fighting and turn our season around. Our fans are very important to us, and we're happy to be back playing at home. In difficult times, with so many injuries and high expectations, our supporters are a resource that gives us courage and energy. So, we thank all the fans who always support us; we play for this jersey and for them. We want to offer fun, entertainment, and a lot of love. I hope there will be many fans at Taliercio; their energy will help us."
Injury report, Reyer: Xavier Munford (knee surgery) is out; Tyler Ennis (sprained knee) is a game-time decision.
Joventut Badalona vs. Buducnost VOLI Podgorica (20:30 CET)
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Tuesday, November 12
Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento (18:00 CET)
Alessandro Magro, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius head coach
"They are probably one of the best teams in Europe right now. They won against Hapoel, they won against Joventut, and they are the first with a 7-0 record in the Italian League, so they have great confidence. The Italian team with Italian coach. The coaching and the basketball style are similar to ours, so the game will be pretty interesting to watch."
Anthony Cowan, Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius guard
"It's definitely going to be an up-and-down game. It's a very important game for both teams. They obviously play really well in their Italian League, so it's important for us to pay attention to details and hopefully get a big home game win in front of our fans."
Paolo Galbiati, Dolomiti Energia Trento head coach
“On Tuesday we will face a team in great shape, masterfully coached by a top-level coach that we know very well. They are a tough and very physical team, capable of winning both through great offensive plays and through solid defense. We will have to regenerate, recharge our batteries and take the field with the right energy to play our game."
Eigirdas Zukauskas, Dolomiti Energia Trento forward
"The game against Wolves will be very challenging, especially on a difficult court that I know very well. They are going through a great moment of form, with six consecutive wins between league and EuroCup, including prestigious wins against Zalgiris and Gran Canaria. To compete on such a hostile ground and try to win, we will have to express our best version and give our best in every aspect of the game."
Trefl Sopot vs. Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (19:00 CET)
Stefanos Dedas, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv head coach
"One more important game that we obliged to win! Sopot will be extra motivated to beat us. We have to keep our concentration for 40 minutes and play as a team."
Noam Yaacov, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv guard
"Our EuroCup standings are tight, so every detail in the game against Sopot will count. We’re coming in focused, ready to execute our plan and control the pace to secure the win we need."
Veolia Towers Hamburg vs. Aris Midea Thessaloniki (19:30 CET)
Benka Barloschky, Veolia Towers Hamburg head coach
"Aris will defend very physically. They have a number of specialists in their squad in defense, who will certainly take on Brae and Jaizec in particular. They have a lot of experience, but at the same time they have also undergone a decisive change recently with the departure of their previous starting guard to Tel Aviv. That does something to a team: roles are redistributed once again. That makes Aris more unpredictable overall. What also makes the game a little more special is that we'll probably experience something of an away atmosphere at home."
Valencia Basket vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (20:30 CET)
Pedro Martinez, Valencia Basket head coach
"[Cedevita Olimpija] is one of the teams that is doing well in our group. They have quite experienced players, some of whom I know because I coached them last year, like Geben and Robinson. But they have Blazic, who is a sensational player, who has had a very good career. We think it's going to be a tough game, in the sense that it's going to be a close game. We are not thinking that it will be an easy game. We have to try to play well, to overcome the difficulties that we are sure we are going to find, and above all, to know that they are a direct rival in our group to be in the upper zone. We have a certain advantage over them, but that advantage would be lost if they beat us tomorrow. Therefore, we have to try to consolidate the advantage we have tomorrow, as we are playing at home. I understand the mood, everything is very close. There have been some people very close to the club who have passed away. Obviously, that is not easy to bear and we cannot say that nothing is happening. Obviously, it does happen. And we also know that we have a lot of fans from the affected area who will probably not be able to come. We are going to play for everyone and try to do our job as well as possible. And the only thing I ask of the players, and it is not easy because the other day we saw that it is not easy, is that when the match starts we have to be ready for the game."
Đorđe Adžić, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana assistant coach
"Given our recent form and performances, and considering Valencia's quality, we certainly aren’t the favorites for Tuesday's game. Nevertheless, our aim is to give our best and represent ourselves well on the court. Valencia is built to achieve the highest goals in the EuroCup, with some players remaining from previous EuroLeague seasons, so they are well-covered in all positions. Their guards are talented, and their big men are very challenging since they can also score from long range. Their entire team averages over ten three-pointers per game in the EuroCup, and offensive rebounds are critical for them. They play aggressive defense and have players specifically for defensive roles, so we need to adjust to the aggressiveness that awaits us on Tuesday. Given that Valencia has played only one game recently, we might be slightly better in terms of energy. It's up to us to show what we can do and capitalize on their lack of recent games. I hope our team responds well to recent games, and that we look much better in the upcoming period. The situation in Valencia has definitely impacted the club, and as Chechu Mulero, the sports director, has worked here for years, it affected us too, as we saw how deeply this situation touched him. Everyone in the club sympathizes with those affected by the disaster. It's good that sports are returning, the fans will come, and we can’t wait to experience the atmosphere"
Jaka Blažič, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana guard
"We are expecting an extremely tough match against an excellent Valencia team. Looking at the current standings in our group, Valencia is definitely the best team, so this task won’t be easy. Our opponents have many strengths. They play excellently, especially in defense with high aggression. Offensively, they score many easy points with quick play, shoot frequently from three-point range, and are strong on offensive rebounds. We’re ready, aware of the biggest threats, and I hope we execute our game plan on Tuesday. Valencia itself is in good condition, with no visible aftermath, but we know what happened in the surrounding area. On behalf of the entire team, I offer support to everyone affected, and we hope for the best."
