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There is desire and health
M.Lukauskis, 41, has signed a contract with the Šiauliai club that will be valid until the end of this LKL season.
The 198cm tall basketball player, who can compete in the defense and forward positions, has represented not only Lithuanian teams, but also French, German, Spanish, Turkish and Italian teams during his career.
Last season, M.Lukauskis competed in the Prienai “CBet” team.
“The most important thing is that there is desire and health, so why not play? But you want to be where they expect you, where you first look not at the passport, but at the sports form, the indicators” – said the basketball player.
“We need more experience now. Everyone who is at least somewhat familiar with Lithuanian basketball knows what M. Lukukais is capable of, what to expect from this iron man,” said Mindaugas Žukauskas, Šiauliai’s sporting director.
Along with M.Lukauskis, the top five LKL players are Simas Jasaitis (Alytus “Dzūkija”), 38, and Brankas Mirkovičius (Pasvalys “Pienovaigždės”), Tautvydas Lydeka (Vilnius “Rytas”), 37, and Paulius Jankūnas, 36. years (Kaunas “Žalgiris”).
The other five are 35-year-old Artūras Jomantas (“Dzūkija”), Egidijus Dimša (“CBet”) and Martynas Mažeika (“Neptūnas” from Klaipėda) and 34-year-old Artūras Milaknis (“Žalgiris”) and Marius Runkauskas’s “Juventus”. (Utena). .
Šiauliai waited patiently
“Šiauliai” was also complemented by the 30-year-old forward Gediminas Orelikas, 197 cm tall.
Having spent the last two seasons due to repeated injuries, Šiauliai has been playing sports with his hometown team for some time and plans to return to great basketball.
“We talk to coach Antanas Sireika all the time, so it was last year. He said I could join them when I was happy. He waited for me until I was ready to play,” said G. Orelikas, who represented the Šiauliai club in 2006 -2007. and 2009-2010 stations.
The last time Gediminas competed in the LKL championship was in 2016 (he was a member of the Ryto team). Later a race in Turkey, Italy.
“We understand that Gediminas is only approaching his previous form of sport. We do not expect to immediately turn the mountains onto the field. Two years without basketball is enough. He trained intensively individually with a fitness coach, and then joined our men. , working for a good month, so “It will be difficult to join the game. It will be fun when the city team is complemented by residents of Šiauliai. We believe it will be a mutually beneficial arrangement. It will definitely help us with our experience, “said M. Žukauskas.
For a few years after the surgeries, I didn’t want to watch basketball at all because my heart ached that I couldn’t play.
Experienced: M.Lukauskis, who has joined the ranks of “Šiauliai”, has competed in the Panevėžys, Vilnius, Alytus and Prienai teams during his career. Photo by Evaldas Šemiotas
What was – was lost
– Gediminas, how much did playing for Šiauliai influence the decision?
– Everything went well, both in my hometown and in the team I played with. When I started playing sports, Coach A. Seika kept wondering when I would return. Here I have the right conditions, on the freest days I want to train individually, because I still lack strength, I try to strengthen myself.
– You played in Šiauliai ten years ago, this time you didn’t stand out very well. Is everything already forgotten?
– It was all. So I didn’t delve much into the situation, it was a matter for the club’s management at that time. I don’t keep my anger in the foreground, plus I didn’t get over it at that age. What was – is gone, time will not go back and you will not change anything.
– Before returning to Lithuania, he competed in Venice, he was in very good sporting shape. It seemed like he could take another masterful step forward. However, trauma ensued and a long period without basketball began. How did you miss it?
– You have spent a lot of time both on the operating table and in rehab. There was everything, both psychological problems and bad decisions, but still I ended up hooked. When it seemed that I could play sports, I had to have surgery again, the same situation happened again. Stay ahead of time 6-7 months, shake your head, and try again. Now everything is going for the better. I’m not that old yet, I have time to play.
– Do you feel the effects of the injury?
– Yes, and it may be so – the rest of your career. But if I don’t train, I won’t play, nothing will change. I wonder how it will be during the game because you will have to enter. It will not be the case that you immediately accumulate 20 or 30 points. It would be a miracle, but you have to believe in miracles …
– What are your next goals?
– You have to take care of yourself and everything will be fine. “Šiauliai” is not the stop where I would like to finish my career in five years, although I cannot foresee such an opportunity. I just want to be stronger, feel the rhythm of the game. Also, he would like to travel the world.
– You haven’t competed in LKL since 2016. What changes have you noticed?
– After the operations, I didn’t want to watch basketball at all for a few years because my heart ached because I couldn’t play. I will be able to share new observations after playing a few games.
– M.Lukauskis, with whom you played together in 2014-2016, will represent Šiauliai alongside you. In Vilnius. Now you will be one of the best players on the team. Have you already talked about the next competition?
– We always get along with Mindaugas. Recently, Šiauliai had a lot of young people, the game did not attract my attention much and now there are older basketball players, not everything is bad. I wonder how we will do it. I hope everything goes well.
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