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Photo: ZUMA – Scanpix
Photo ZUMA – Scanpix
When the CSKA Moscow team lost a crushing defeat in mid-December, basketball players from Istanbul’s Anadolu Efes met for an interview and agreed that it could not continue. Three months later, that conversation seems to have miraculously changed its season.
Eleven wins and three losses. Seven consecutive victories, the last five of which achieved an average advantage of 25.6 points. And even CSKA Moscow itself, which lost 65: 100 on December 15 on the road, was crushed 100: 70 at home on March 4.
Thus, from 10th place where Anadolu Efes was after the 15th round (7 wins, 8 losses), the Turks have now moved up to fourth (18-10) and are aiming for even higher positions.
Suddenly, Anadolu Efes became the same horror team as last year, with 24 wins, 4 losses and a definite lead in the Euroleague after stopping the Euroleague season.
“After the match in Moscow with CSKA, where we played one of our worst matches, we got together and talked,” Vasilije Micičius told the BasketNews.lt website in Istanbul. – We are talking about the fact that we are still the same team, with obvious problems: injuries, the coronavirus situation, but you have to watch the game after the game to save the season.
I think after that we started to realize that we can’t point fingers to justify why we lose. We need to believe and trust each other more. It gives more confidence regardless of the results. “
Efes’ climb from the pits began with a victory over league leaders Barcelona, and in early February the Turks defeated Šarūnas Jasikevičius’s pupils for the second time.
A good reason for the victories is Vasilije Micičius, who plays in the best season. Like the team, he became difficult to sustain after that crushing loss, averaging 18.9 points in 11 games this calendar year, delivering 5.4 assists and shooting three points at 45.5 percent. precision.
At the end of February, he set a personal record when he scored 37 points in the Istanbul Fenerbahche basket and helped crush the series of ten consecutive opponents.
He was also the most productive and useful of his team during the duel with Kaunas “Žalgiris”, when he scored 17 points, made 4 productive passes, bounced 4 balls, scored 25 utility points and his team won 89:62.
After this meeting, Micičius shared with the website BasketNews.lt the story about the resurgence of Anadolu Efes and the plans for the NBA.
– In Vasily, his team demonstrates an amazing form of sport, winning the last five games with an average advantage of 25 points. Did the time machine go to last year, when it also showed unstoppable basketball?
– Last year was one of our biggest problems this year. In fact, we’ve been stuck in the past and it’s been really hard to shake off those thoughts that “something was stolen from us last year”, “we were in top shape” and things like that. They are unnecessary stories that we cannot change.
After those matches in Moscow, we talked and we started to look better, we started to feel better. That’s not an excuse, but we actually had a lot of trouble with injuries and the coronavirus. I would say that when we are healthy and full, we are really dangerous. And if we plan to be among the final four, we will lose our focus.
For the last two months, we have shown that we are only looking at the next game. In fact, I don’t care what kind of advantage we gain, but on the field I feel like we are putting more effort into defense, each of us personally feel more responsibility, which is very important to us. Finally, the results are very good.
– As for your defense, everyone sees the attack and those crazy triples, but first of all your defense is very good.
– Yes, each one of us, when entering the square, has a kind of personal motivation. We don’t have special defensive tactics like other teams, like trades or covers (when a player defending after a wall is helped by a teammate). We have to stop the opponent one by one. When we defend like this, it looks great. Like you said, everyone talks about attacking, but for me, the last games, defense was the key why we won with such an advantage.
SIPA Photo – Scanpix
– Going back a little more to last season, how did you react when it was suspended without discovering the champions?
– I don’t think I’m in a position to talk about that, our coach talked about it a lot. For me, it was a thing of the past. In fact, I didn’t even talk to my friends about it. What happened was much more important than basketball. I accepted it easily. I stayed in Istanbul until May until we made a decision, and I easily made the decision to end the season. I immediately started preparing my mind and body for the upcoming season. For me, it was just something that happened and everything in life happens for a reason. It was a lesson for all of us that we should be modest and not cry over such situations.
– Your team has practically not changed compared to last season. Doesn’t he seem to have gotten in better shape now than he was last year?
– The most difficult thing for the club was to save everyone for this season. It was necessary to extend the contract with Shane, me, Chris Singleton, I had an incredible season and he stayed. Which means we all trust each other and the club.
But when the season started, we weren’t happy. It seems that we are constantly looking for excuses why we don’t play well. Now things settled down and we realized it was the same Vasa, the same Shane, all the same as last year. As a result, there is no need to point your finger at something when you make a mistake.
By extending the contract here, it was very important for me to feel what it means to play with someone for three years. I have always looked at Real or Barcelona in recent years, who had that model. That time we spend together means a lot. So it’s also easier to come back from the bad section because you know you can count on these guys. As a result, I think we are now in good shape. Is it better than last year? I do not know. But we are more mature, more willing to sacrifice personal performances. While we continue to collect good personal statistics, I think the personal sacrifice is better than last year.
– You collect phenomenal numbers yourself, for example, you put 37 points in the Fenerbahche basket. How have you felt more added to your game in recent years?
– When I decided to stay in Istanbul for the second year, I realized that it was very important for me to have a season like the first here. Then I made sure I could play the way I envisioned, both on offense and defense, that I could be creative, that I could score points. Now it seems normal, but it seemed to me that it was not enough to have a season like this, we needed a second, and now a third. It gives me the greatest confidence in the square, that I feel good doing what I do.
And actually, I really do work a lot. It sounds like a phrase that sounds like it, but I have worked very hard for the last five years. If I hit something, it is the result of hard daily workouts.
I needed experience with Shar to simplify my game. I’ve always played it better since I was young, it’s worse, and now I’ve gained stability, which I think is my biggest improvement.
– His name is often heard as one of the first when it comes to basketball players who should or could go to the NBA. Do such thoughts arise before next summer?
– In fact, for the second year in a row, people have been talking about it. My philosophy is not to talk about something until it is official. I have no official offer. Probably well, there was a trade between Oklahoma and Philadelphia, because there was no attention from the 76ers. Now the people of Oklahoma are really paying more attention to my game. But I only focus on Ephesus. Like I said, it was very difficult to find an environment and a team that I felt good about, and that’s how I feel here. So I’m not going to get into the NBA standing up. After the season, I’ll just sit back and think about it.
– But is it still your dream – to play in the NBA?
– It’s a dream, but not like it used to be. It’s good to have that kind of personal motivation, but I’m always equally motivated, whether it’s playing for the last team in the Turkish league or in the Euroleague. But it’s nice to have something that makes you work even harder.
I’m still young to be able to fight for minutes, but I want to be in a situation where I can play. I don’t want to go to the NBA just to brag to my friends in Serbia that I played in the NBA. I want to be in a situation where I am part of the team. Maybe so, I don’t know.
– You mentioned Shar. You recently played for Barcelona and scored 26 points. Knowing how Shar accentuates rival leaders, perhaps it was a great personal achievement?
– After leaving Žalgiris and better before playing, I spoke with Kruno (Simonas), who is one of my best friends. And the interesting thing is that I don’t even think about it, I just play. Clearly, Shar is the coach who best prepares his team for the game and who best demands that the team play the way he wants. In the long run, it pays off because its teams play solidly.
I feel like there are certain gaps in defense that I can find and exploit, and I’m playing at that point. When you play on his coaching team, you know certain things that you can take advantage of by playing against him. It is not easy to describe the people who have not played on their teams. And when you’ve played and you’re smart, even though I don’t want to say I’m the smartest, I really learned and understood how you want to attack opponents. It helped me a lot, now I usually defend myself against the best rivals, and I can take advantage of that experience it has given me.
– You beat Barcelona both times this season. Do you feel like you have an advantage over them?
– I think that Barça was very solid even before the acquisition of Pau Gasoli. They know how to fight for titles, they have a lot of experience. And Gasol gives him even more, that peace of mind that is important in moments of responsibility.
But I have experience in the last four with Žalgiris and Efes, so I know it is very difficult to predict. These are the two games in which you get the purest joy. I think that Barça is the favorite to this day.
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