With Dolomiti Energia Trento already qualified for the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16, veteran guard Toto Forray is now focused on his team finishing the season as high as possible in Group D.
Toto Forray, Trento: 'The team has grown a lot'
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Last week was a tough one for us – we played three road games in three different countries: Greece, Spain and Italy – but it was also a good one because we won two of them and qualified to the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16. Ever since we had some COVID positives in our team, we couldn't practice with the whole squad because there were just nine of us left. That was the first of several tough weeks that ended with this one. We handled the situation in the best way possible, as you can see. As I said, we made it to the Top 16 with six consecutive wins, faster than any other team in our group.
The go-ahead win was against Promitheas in Patras. That allowed us to handle things better when we played in Gran Canaria. We were calmed down and knew Gran Canaria had lost in France, and so it was a loss that we could take, due to our one-win advantage. Our win against Promitheas was a big one for us. JaCorey Williams got injured in the fifth minute of the game and we had problems during the game, but we won, scoring 89 points. It was probably our best game on offense as we are understanding more to recognize which of us has the best rhythm during each game. Right now, Gary Browne and Victor Sanders are giving us a lot in each game, but the rest of us are understanding what we can offer – Jeremy Morgan, Luke Maye, even myself. The group is growing and learning how to solve our tough situations down the road.
"Being in the Top 16 is satisfying."
I am feeling comfortable, too. I am trying to understand what is best for the game at all times, and how I feel. It is important to know what I can do for the team at all times. For instance, in our third game this week, against Germani Brescia in the Italian League, I was really tired, so I tried to focus on defense, and I could help the team. In other games, you have to read the game and see what is best in each moment: assists, defense, outside shooting...
So, we have three EuroCup games left and two of them are at home. If we win those, we will probably finish first in our group. Now that we have qualified, the next goal is to finish as close to first place as possible. If we have the possibility to be first, we will try to take it, starting with our next game, at home against Nanterre on Wednesday. We have to make the most of the opportunities we are given. Of course, being in the Top 16 is satisfying, but I think the fact that we are playing well, with continuity, is even more important. We are understanding what we need to do to win each game, and that means that the team has grown a lot since the start of the season.
"We will try to finish first."
We had a tough trip from Patras to Gran Canaria, I believe it is worth telling. It was difficult. We already had to change our tickets on Monday, before traveling. We arrived to Patras and while we were playing the game, one of our next flights was cancelled. That meant we had to leave our hotel in Patras at 2 a.m. to go to the airport and fly to Frankfurt at 5:30 a.m. We had a five-hour transit stop and then flew to Barcelona, where we stopped over for a night. We were all destroyed, but Friday was not much better. We left our hotel at 6:30 am. There was a direct flight from Barcelona to Gran Canaria... which got cancelled, too. We had to fly to Madrid, then to Gran Canaria, arriving at 3:30 pm to play at 8pm. That was an adventure! These things happen to everyone, and obviously, it would be much worse not to play. Our mentality is that this was no-one's fault, it is what it is and at least we get to work, which not everyone can do these days. We have to carry on and if we have to take several flights, so be it. It is part of the situation, for everyone.
The good news is that Davide Pascolo and Andrea Mezzanotte are back with the team. They joined us in Brescia without practicing with the team. They had been practicing individually for three or four days while we were in Greece and Spain, joining the team on Sunday morning. We will practice all together soon, and I am sure they will catch up and get the right rhythm as soon as possible.
The good thing is that we have two home games – plus a road one in Ljubljana, which is a five-hour drive from Trento – and a two-week break from the competition. We have to make the most out of that, short trips and less games, to improve as a team. Like I said, we will try to finish first and stay competitive in the Top 16!