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Photo: BNS
BNS photo
For the past five years, the Lithuanian Basketball League has been so closed: during this period, no club has entered or abandoned the country’s main championships.
Colons are thrown this season
Coach Virginijus Šeškus, who is starting a new stage in his career, will try to change that. He became Jonava’s head coach and loudly announced his goal to triumph over NKL and thus move the established waters of LKL.
In the 2014-2015 season, Mažeikiai’s triumphant NKL team joined LKL, but already in the first year it remained in last place and returned to the country’s second league.
For the next five years, there was no team that could go from NKL to LKL: it was hampered by too small a budget, it was an ineligible room.
The LKL clubs were so calm about their future in the league that towards the end of the season, some weaker teams even quit the legionaries, because the team still didn’t have a chance to fight for the playoffs, and there were no options for relegate to the lower league.
Virginijus Šeškus worked at LKL from 2009 to 2019, and will now try to return to the league in the same way that he made his debut with the Prienai team “Rūdupis” in 2009, after winning NKL.
“I met with the team and the leaders of the city of Jonava expressed a great desire to have a team at LKL. At first, we have to make noise in NKL, which I think is more difficult than in LKL, Šeškus told BasketNews.lt website. – But if everything is fine and we get to LKL, then maybe we would make noise with Jonava and LKL.
It was not easy for me to decide. I sat quietly and unexpectedly received an offer from Ukraine, then received an invitation from Jonava. I imagine that moving from LKL to NKL is an unpopular step. Many have told me that I would not go to NKL because I risk my authority that way. But I have tried a lot in my life. I tried to train in Vilnius “Rytas”, Ballus brothers. Now I will try. I have no doubt that if we come to LKL, we will definitely agree to continue cooperating. “
Jonava’s team plays in the open arena in 2017, with a capacity of more than 2,000. Spectators Jonava sports stadium is definitely the best in the National Basketball League. The finals of the last four took place in this room in 2018 and 2019.
The strategist immediately sent an important message to the Lithuanian basketball community.
“I think our goals can change the mindset of the lower LKL teams. Now they will know from the start that they cannot throw points, they cannot stay in last place as there will be no guarantee of their place in LKL. We may not be successful in winning, but the fact that we have moved to LKL is important to all Lithuanian basketball.
I understand that I spoke for the first time, I understand that everyone will play against us with double strength. But this is life, you must prepare, move forward and achieve your goal on a daily basis. The most important thing will be to get to the last four, and then the lottery will start, ”Šeškus said.
The specialist, who twice won the Lithuanian Basketball Federation Cup with the Prienai team, did not coach any club last season after a long break. It has not been very successful in recent years: one season with the team of his brothers Ballais Prienai remained in last place, the following season he assembled a team full of veterans, with whom he ranked seventh in the regular season and fell to the quarterfinals.
BNS photo
“I just lost training wins. Even at a lower level, but I want the kind of game that all coaches want: basketball players to go and fight. You want the people who come to see the fighting team, not hands down.
We will strive to make the team more attractive to the audience. The first thing is to be prepared, to dress well so that the team is cultural. Everything has to start with order. We want to attract viewers, we really have a very fun room. In such cities, viewers are always the sixth player, “Šeškus said.
Before stopping last season, Jonava ranked 13th in the 15-team league. So far, it’s too early to talk about the team’s squad for the 2020-2021 season, but Šeškus will start work soon: A three-day review of basketball players is planned.
One of the most important aspects of next season is Jonava’s budget, which, according to BasketNews.lt, can reach around 200 thousand. euros For comparison, last season the club had 120 thousand. quantity.
“It just came to our attention then. I haven’t forgotten all the things that need to be done,” Šeškus recalled of the search for sponsors in Prienai.
Although the website krepsinis.net has announced that Jonava may attract the Lavrinovičius brothers, this is not a realistic option at this time. According to Šeškaus, the team has already agreed with a tall man, so they will only look for another middle forward.
Initially, the coach intends to invite Lithuanians to the team, and if capable compatriots are missing, he does not rule out the possibility of acquiring a legionary. The ferrets have already belittled the player from abroad and are waiting for him to agree with another team.
However, it will not be easy to attract basketball players. A significant number of NKL players have already signed contracts for the upcoming season, and the fact that the NKL season is shorter by a month can also make it difficult to recruit higher-capacity basketball players. As a result, players will receive wages for probably seven months.
“LKL players receive a salary for 9 months, and here for only 7. When you call a basketball player to NKL, you will automatically have to pay around 4 thousand more. That is a lot of money,” said Šeškus.
The specialist has always been famous for his students bravely throwing triples and punishing his opponents. Šeškus hopes to implement the same vision in Jonava.
“For a long time I was impressed by the people who hit from afar. If you hit from a distance, then opponents should look at you more closely, then there is a possibility to break through, and after that, give the pass to a free basketball player. And if you don’t hit, you are easy to understand. I think something like this must really be the way we play at Prienai, ”Šeškus said.
The ferrets still have plenty of time to prepare, as the first game of the new season will be played in almost three months, in mid-October.
“I am already turning my head on the team, the headaches have already started,” said Virginijus Šeškus, who began a new stage in his career.
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