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Photo: S.Čirba
Photo S.Čirba
Augustas Marčiulionis, who switched from the Vilnius “Perlo” team to the “Vilnius Morning”, receives the ball with confidence during practice and friendly matches and has a solid performance.
In the first week of direct encounter with the speed and physicality of high-level basketball players, the eighteen-year-old’s eyes widened in surprise. However, the basketball player is happy about it, all this is a good opportunity to learn and develop as the best player possible.
Born and raised in the capital, the basketball player who supported Vilnius “Lietuvos rytas” from a young age feels that one of his dreams has come true.
“For me, as a Vilnius resident, this is a very high recognition,” Marčiulionis told the BasketNews.lt website. – I grew up in that city, I watched since my childhood, I supported that team. Now I am part of it. It really is such a memorable event that I am very happy. “
During the first two friendly matches, the youngster is one of the best of the Vilnius team. He averaged 11.5 points and the club achieved both victories.
The 192 cm tall defender shared his thoughts on adaptation to the LKL level, not only the development of the body, but also the mind and the possibilities of finding oneself more often in Donald Kairis drawings.
– Did you expect to go from NKL to LKL at a fairly young age of 18? – BasketNews.lt asked Marčiulionis.
– I think it depended on my results. Sure, I always want to get up those stairs asap, but I had a really good season in the NKL. I really saw that I had improved and was already looking forward to trying my hand at a higher level.
I have seen that the management believes in me, the people around me live in Vilnius, believe me. That is why I chose to stay in Vilnius. I myself was very happy with my improvement, every year I keep improving something, I have more and more success playing. So I decided not to invent anything. If everything is going well, why change anything?
Photo S.Čirba
– What alternative offers did you have since last season?
– There were mostly conversations with universities in the United States. Universities have known for a long time that I am interested in that option of going to the United States. I was mainly considering going to the United States, but decided not to this year. There is much more uncertainty than in Lithuania. Here it is clear when the season and the match will start, and nothing is clear yet. So I decided not to even think about driving there this year and choose a better and safer option.
– What opportunities do you see to move to a higher level?
– Here the game is already with full-fledged professionals who have been giving away basketball for many years, playing it professionally for many years. There is something to learn from these people and there is something to learn by playing against them. The level already feels different even in the training process. You really need to get used to both the physique and the speed, and add all those physical qualities yourself. But I think it is a natural process and everything should be fine.
– Moving to the next level, LKL, did dad give any advice?
– Not much. We keep in touch, we talk about basketball and not just basketball. He helped me with determination, but did not give me any advice. When he has something to advise, he advises and does not say anything special or special.
– Team Rytas has already started preparations for the upcoming basketball season. How are you doing on the team so far?
– There are really different speeds, you have to get used to them. Physical contact is different too, I really feel like I really lack that physical strength. The team accepted warmly, feeling really willing to help me. Older players advise something, let’s say, they are angry, angry. But if he is angry, it is only with good wishes. So far so good, I’m happy, I feel happy. We very much agree with the team, I can only speak about everything with good words.
– What challenges does Donald Kairys pose for you?
– Maintain a high rate of matches. The player is the position in which the player has the longest ball, makes decisions, organizes the attack. The coach then asks the players to keep up, gather teammates in their spare time, give instructions, work on defense, push opponents across the field. Those instructions really are, not everything works right away, but I’m learning little by little.
– What do you think of the team leader in general? coach, your applied work methods, philosophy?
– In fact, I find it difficult to say, because I have nothing to compare myself to, I have only played in the National Basketball League and the School Basketball League so far. You can see that the trainer works according to a mixture of American and European details, uses many different terms, mentions many details. I really like it, it feels like there really is another level here.
– Why do you get the most comments?
– There are a variety of such comments on everything. But most of the time, they are not angry. I do something wrong, I adjust how to do it right. There are also problems in my decisions, I am not standing there somewhere. Those comments are just for benefit, they are there, but here is part of the learning.
– You scored double-digit scores in both friendlies. How did it go and what impression did they make?
– It’s just a friendly match. Clearly, I am glad that the coach allows you to express yourself, gives you confidence, allows you to make decisions with the ball. Those games were quite different. With Kėdainiai “Nevėžis”, where almost all the players are Lithuanian, there were several people I have already played with, like Domantas Vilys. There wasn’t a big difference, but I felt like there were more experienced players around me. The difference in speed, physicality was felt a lot. In the second match, the Ukrainian team was almost unknown, the players only know each other a little. But we tested the things that we wanted to see, that we trained. I’m glad that the coach was confident and that we won both games.
Photo rytasvilnius.lt
– Legionnaires have yet to join the team. Does the lower rotation so far create better opportunities to get into the rhythm of the team, get into the game, get more playing time?
– Of course, as long as there are not few defenders who should be the protagonists, during training sessions and friendly matches I have more minutes, more opportunities to make decisions with the ball, to play. Until the very beginning, while transitioning to the professional level of LKL, I really benefit from everything because I have the opportunities. I hope that even when they come, nothing bad happens, everything will be fine.
– Who do you play with in one-on-one situations in your workouts?
– I play against Dovi Bičkauskis most of the time. We are both players, so we usually have to chase each other during practice.
The game against him is a big difference than the NKL, especially his physical strength. At first, the first week seemed like space. It was hard to back up and run, but little by little I try to do something smarter. I try not to get in contact with him, to avoid collisions, because in contact I’m still really helpless against him. But playing against Dov is a very good experience. He needs to push me and run around me. Everything is just for the benefit. There really is something to do to attack it.
– In an interview, you mentioned that you would like to grow another 5 cm. How do you try to compensate for this on the field?
– The height does not confuse anyone. In the single player position, you need to play smart, lead your teammates, and I think the biggest advantages of defenders are good decisions and cunning. So you should try to learn all kinds of tricks as fast and best as possible to play smart.
– Are you happy with the work you have done in the summer and what have you been able to do?
– I really worked a lot in the summer. I’m glad I gained a little weight, I gained a little weight. However, it is a long process, it cannot be taken and bounce. There are so many things in basketball that need to be improved. And it should be done gradually. The process continued and I am happy with it.
– You mentioned that you realize that nobody gives minutes on the field for nothing. How are you going to spend time on Donald Kairis drawings?
– I will try to play well, do what the coach asks of me, what he asks of me, and play as much as I can. Everything will depend on many things, but above all it will depend on me.
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