With success rate, “three in three” in Final Four entries once he wore his jersey Olympicthe Alec Peters He is getting ready for the … pharmacist for himself and his team effort in Abu Dhabi.
The 30 -year -old forward, spoke to the BWINSPOR FM 94.6 On the sidelines of the Media Day ahead of the event, and stressed that everyone in the team has realized how necessary this title is, pointing out that while the “reds” were the best team so far in Europe, but they will have to prove it on May 23-25. Read what he said about Monaco, Vassilis Spanoulis, the fact that the team goes full to the Final Four, his coexistence with him Sasha Vezenkovbut also the … diversity it will have for the same possible conquest of this year’s Euroleague.
Interview with Nikos Zervas
-First of all I don’t know if you have thought about suggesting it to the team, but do you get food for Abu Dhabi from your great restaurant?
“The truth is that I haven’t thought about it, but since almost all of my teammates have opened it and have been very pleased. We went all the way together and ate and I’m sure it will happen several times in the future. ”
-Tell me a little bit about this decision. Have you always had business in your mind, do you like cooking, or did your stay and love for Greece play a role?
“It’s a great story about how this project was created. Of course there was inspiration from Greece, but I was always a man who wanted to make my fellow humans happy. To create something to have fun. Basketball is my job, but I’m blessed because I have a lot of potential as a human being and besides. This restaurant was an opportunity to do so. I like that those who have visited it have been happy with the experience. ”
-It is your third consecutive participation in a Final Four with Olympiacos and the fourth consecutive team. Do you think it was a first reward of your very good this year?
“The truth is that beyond the pride of seeing your team at the top of the regular season, you don’t gain anything more. We played pretty well in its biggest lecture and realizing that you finished first is very good. But the requirements of us do not stop there. We had to continue to work hard, because the goal is to win the trophy. ”
-During the season you encountered many injury problems, but you managed to overcome them and finish first … Then came an imposing qualification against Real … What do you keep from the season so far?
“Health is the most important thing. Because in a game that judges everything like those of the Final Four, you may be an injury or a shot away from succeeding. The qualification to Real was perfectly fair as a natural continuation of our course throughout the season. ”
-The fact that you excluded the team that beat you in the last two Final Four, and has such a strong status, fills you with more confidence?
“The fact that we have been facing such a quality and successful team in recent years has kept our… alert engines. From the first game you saw that we did not leave them much room. We never wanted to feel that they have the opportunity to exclude us. We did not forget what happened for the past two years, and we really feel very good with what happened. ”
-The previous failures regarding the trophy have raised the bar of the demands of Olympiacos fans. Do you perceive this pressure this year to do it?
“No, the pressure doesn’t touch me. And this is because I believe that the team has done the best that the team has done for the last four years. Being in the Final Four is not easy. Of course we also want to conquer it, but I know very well that the other teams have the opportunity. I fully understand the will of the world, stemming from excessive love for the team. It’s great and I totally respect it. When you have reached three consecutive times and have not conquered it, it makes sense. We want to support us and have demands from us, but also to understand that it is not a matter of a series of five games. We have been the best team so far, and we have to prove it in two knockout nights. ”
-The first obstacle to your effort will be Monaco. He has a coach of a legend of Olympiacos, Vassilis Spanoulis. How much does this affect the spiritual management of the race?
“You know, we see his jersey every day in training hanging on the roof … It is a big deal for this race, because you often do not meet the best player in the modern story of a team being an opponent coach. I am sure that for the media it is a dream event, but for us it is just a great fight. It is not in the position that is by chance. He proved his value in Peristeri in previous years, where he had problems. He is a very good coach, he has great players in Monaco and will be a difficult opponent. We have to do our best to cope. We have a full roster to be able to exclude them. ”
-Let’s assume that you qualify in the final. Which opponent would you prefer? Panathinaikos or Fenerbahce. Greek basketball has a great opportunity this year for a Greek final…
“A Greek final would be beautiful. I know some people may hesitate and … fear the possibility, but if you get out of the rivalry that exists, it will be great for Greece. To see her two top teams in a final. It will clearly appear across the globe how great the country is to play here. It will definitely be something historical. ”
-In your third season in the team and after last year where you were one of the great protagonists, you had a different role again, you played in three places, but you respond very well and people often sing your name. After all, wasn’t it so difficult to coexist with Sasa Vezenkov like that?
“I always wanted to play teammate with Sasha. And I and he know the value of everyone and how beautiful it can work. You saw it more this year I think. I don’t want to get into the role of the coach, but I will clearly say that I love to play with him in the same five. One complements the other and helps by opening space in the parquet. He is an excellent player, we saw what he did in the game with Bayern where he approached 50 points. We enjoyed it together. I never thought, “Sasha is playing in my place and is in front of me.” This would never work well. On the contrary, I always think about how much influence we can play in the game by playing together. ”
-Do you already have a Euroleague trophy, but I think this year will be different to put it in a photo next to your gorgeous daughter like that?
“I’ll tell you something to understand. I always admired my former teammate, Kyle Hines. For the way he played for his professionalism. It is my mentor and it helped me a lot in my early years in Europe. He always told us that always the first conquest is the most… weird. When you realize it, you run from here and there, you see crying or happy faces and react crazy. So it was when we got it with CSKA Moscow. But the second will be of great value if it comes with Olympiacos, because as you said, as opposed to then, I will have my wife and daughter with me, who then did not exist in my life. Then I had no one next to me from my family. So yes, I’m completely ready and happy in this thought … “.
Source: Sport Fm
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
