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Photo: FIBA
FIBA photo
The team formed on the basis of Utena “Juventus”, who participated for the first time in the FIBA 3×3 world tour tournament, had to prove their worth to those around them, but in the end they earned both recognition and a solid prize in cash.
Gintautas Matulis
| Position: | SF |
| Years: | 33 |
| Height: | 196 cm |
| Weight: | 90 kilograms |
| Place of birth: | Rokiškis, Lithuania |
Juventus – Uniclub Casino, which triumphed in the Hoptrans 3×3 tournament in Palanga last week, competed against the strongest 3×3 teams in the world in Debrecen, Hungary.
The FIBA 3×3 Masters tournament took place in the Central European city, the strongest trio basketball competition with 12 elite teams. It was the first official FIBA competition after basketball was paralyzed by a coronavirus in March, so the emphasis on health was enormous.
Before leaving for Hungary, all 3×3 teams in their countries had to receive two negative results for a coronavirus test, and were also tested upon arrival in Hungary.
Juventus – Uniclub Casino trained in Lithuania at a 3×3 pace for just two nights, as during this period Utena’s main team is preparing for the club’s 5×5 season. Darius Tarvydas was also joined by Ignas Vaitkus, Gintautas Matulis and Vytautas Šulskis, who play in Utena, and Juventus basketball players Julius Jucikas, Mindaugas Kupšas and Martynas Gecevičius helped them with their workouts.
“There weren’t high expectations, but somewhere we thought deeply that we could win,” Vaitkus told BasketNews.lt about his hopes before the tournament.
The quartet, which did not even have a place in the FIBA 3×3 team rankings, were staying in a hotel where only three teams lived, while all the others, including Šakiai “Gulbelė”, were in another. They also had to take care of how to get to the training center, and such conditions did not remind the basketball players who enjoyed the Hoptrans 3×3 tournament in Palanga.
“We could compare everything with the Palanga tournament, where you didn’t have to take care of anything, everything was thought out until the last leagues. The Lithuanians could really organize ‘Masters’ level tournaments and make them even higher, “Gintautas Matulis told the website BasketNews.lt.
To achieve a good result, the Utensians first had to adapt to the trial. In the first game, in which Juventus – Uniclub Casino fell to NY Harlem at 17:21, the Lithuanians had 5 team fouls in the first minute of the match, and after less than three minutes of play, this number rose to 10.
“An unqualified team came and maybe the judges wanted to give lessons on the first day,” said one of the team members, Matulis. – Respect must be earned, and we have achieved it. We talk about being able to cry over the whistles and go out, or about being professional, adjusting and moving on. So we went. “
“We talked to the judges, they saw Hoptrans 3×3 themselves and they said they gave us more contact there. They almost pretended we were under the microscope in the first match, ”Vaitkus said.
Juventus – Uniclub Casino has started to change its style of play, which has not changed at all since the Palanga tournament. Basketball players even took over the combinations they saw playing for other teams in Hungary, began to change their barrier-building habits, and thus quickly found a recipe for success.
In the second match, they met the Lithuanian team Šakiai “Gulbele”, the sixth best 3×3 team in the world. In the repeat of the final of the Palanga 3×3 tournament, the people of Utena were better again, and this victory guaranteed a ticket to the quarterfinals.
“It is a pity that there is a fight between the two Lithuanian teams for the place in the next stage,” said Matulis.
According to Matulis, in the early days of the 3×3 tournaments his team always had more difficulties, both in Palanga and in Hungary. The second day began with the quarterfinals, in which the ninth best team in the world, the basketball players from Amsterdam, made their way to Utena’s team.
The 18:16 victory was achieved without the opponents landing a decisive shot. Vaitkus scored exactly half of the team’s points in this duel.
“After the quarterfinals in each tournament it is easier, then you already know that you are fighting for the medals and, in our case, for the money. We are already receiving a kind of cake. We won, the tension decreased,” said Matulis .
Entry among the four strongest teams guaranteed at least 12,000. Prize in dollars, but for the people of Utena, the appetite grew without eating.
The semi-final with Riga’s basketball players, who are in third place in the world rankings, started with a 6: 0 streak, then Utena led 11: 5 and 17:12, but everything was decided again in decisive moments. When the opponents reached until 18:19, Vaitkus stabbed a long shot, thus winning the tenth point in the match and breaking the ticket to the final.
How did this moment turn out for Gintautas Matulis?
“At that moment, I was sitting on a bench and I knew that Ignas was the leader in the attack. He felt very good on the second day, took the initiative and closed the game. He immediately relaxed, we reached the final, we achieved what we wanted. Wow, unreal emotions, “Matulis said.
Vaitkus’s decisive throw reminded him of what happened three years ago at the 2017 Universiade. Then, on August 27, Vaitkus unleashed a victorious shot and led the Lithuanian team to the semi-finals, with the national team ultimately winning gold medals. .
Three years and three days have passed and Vaitkus has once again demonstrated his skills at a crucial moment.
“Good feeling. In a 3×3 tournament, there is not much time to think about anything, since a shot can cost two quick points. There were mistakes, we had an unconscious technical foul because we lost time. It was good that he did not hit the penalty, it could have ended otherwise. The pitch itself was out of the game, I was already feeling tired. We have been told that if two points are still the advantage, it is better to shoot one point at a time and not force a long pitch, but somehow way he managed to hit. I felt good throwing those matches, all the pitches fell, no matter how hard. I made a decision and I’m glad it was worth it, “Vaitkus said.
After passing the semi-final stage, the Juventus – Uniclub Casino basketball players received many congratulations from their teammates.
“It just came to our attention then. It must be earned by work,” Vaitkus said.
Liman’s team from Serbia, which ranks first in the world rankings, was waiting for the final. Although in the middle of the game, after the 6: 0 ray, the Utena tied the result at 12:12, then they still maintained the game by two points, in the end the rival, who had more triples in basketball, took the victory 21 : 17.
“Of those we played against, they were definitely the strongest, they stood out in thought,” Matulis said. – They had an idea in the attack, there was no way to run away anyway. They were playing and we ran out of training. We had a draw, we talked about being able to play, the team is beating, but we have to specify the details. A very smart team. “
“After the final, the Liman player, who received an MVP, came and said that I am a good player, that it is fun to see us here,” revealed Vaitkus. – From what I’ve heard, the Americans said in an interview that the future of our team is really bright. Funny, we get to the unknown, and then we start to show basketball, all the players and those around us start to look differently, wanting to say hello, shake hands. A lot of people came to me personally and to the team and said they see that they have something that is really hard to stop in 3×3 basketball. Respect has arrived. “
FIBA photo
The second place resulted in 30 thousand. Prize in USD. The team that won in the final took 40,000. AMERICAN DOLLAR.
How was the distribution of the money? 30 thousand The dollars were divided into five equal parts of 6 thousand. AMERICAN DOLLAR. They were received by all the basketball players, and the fifth part went to the Juventus club.
“We have already agreed that we will share the money. And the club looked at it flexibly, so we could not give it to the club. We really found a compromise,” Matulis said.
Team Utena basketball players in 3×3 tournaments were accompanied with success throughout the summer, allowing them to earn money in the off-season. What kind of future do basketball players see in 3×3 basketball?
“I will not hide, we are really talking about the 3×3 future with other players,” revealed Matulis. – There was an offer to stay in Debrecen and play two more Masters tournaments, but both the club and the coach already have a friendly match planned. Now all thoughts are on 5×5 basketball, but you know, maybe you come out with the schedules, you can play through the windows. And next summer, both for me personally and the other players we talked to, there really are thoughts to playing 3×3. An interesting and growing sport “.
“When you’re doing so well, it’s normal to think ahead, but on the other hand, it’s not that time anymore,” Vaitkus said. – “Juventus” donated, was transported to the tournament, and now we have to prepare for the season. There is no time, you have to switch back to 5×5 and focus on that. And in the future we will see if maybe a tournament will be held in Lithuania, maybe at the end of the season. If we receive an invitation and allow opportunities, we will definitely go. “
Photo FIBA.com
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