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Šarūnas Jasikevičius bowed his head and looked at the image in the cube of Žalgiris Arena. There, a special video clip prepared by the Žalgiris team is reproduced, in which the Lithuanian team of coaches who raised their wings to Barcelona for those unforgettable years in Kaunas are thanked.
The victorious emotions, joyous hugs, titles and warm adventures that accompanied Shara in “Žalgiris” let out a sigh at the end of the film.
“Thank you Šarūnai, thank you Dariau, thank you Tom, thank you Justai,” the sand bucket caught fire at the end of the clip.
VIDEO: A warm welcome: Šaras suppressed emotions before the controversy in Kaunas
Š.Jasikevičius lowered his head. He seemed to be trying to swallow those pent-up emotions and distance himself from them during his first round of the “Žalgiris” stadium with the “Barcelona” logo on his coach’s jacket. It was not easy. At 15 thousand. it would have been impossible even for the angry Žalgiris fans.
But that’s not what Sharo was lacking most on a cold Friday night on the basketball island of Nemunas.
The LED signs around the parquet had already forgotten about the protection of Šarūnas Jasikevičius’s shoes. Out of anger, they rose again into the air right next to the stands.
Nick Calathes indiscriminately tried to miss passes to the three-point line like during the All-Star Match. Barcelona’s tall left holes in the penalty area, and Thomas Heurtel didn’t understand what Shar wanted from him both in attack and defense.
It was a game whose quality was not entirely to the liking of the Barça coach. coach. But after two defeats in a row, S. Jasikevičius needed at least one victory. It was achieved by 73:62.
After the final whistle, Shar was not in a hurry to leave the pitch. After patting Martin Schiller several times on the shoulder, he waited for the “Žalgiris” players to part from their meeting.
He initially hugged Thomas Walkup. After that, he greeted him longingly with Paulius Jankūnas, Lukas Lekavičius, Artūras Milaknis. Rokas Jokubaitis seems to have applied to Barcelona during their season of energy and advances. After a ridiculous 20 years, Shar was still waiting for Marek Blaževičius.
After hugging young Žalgiris, who was invited to Kaunas in the summer, but suddenly left for Barcelona, Shar spoke to him in a few words, accompanying him to the locker room.
Later, the former Žalgiris manager waited for his interview on Euroleague TV. From his witty conversation with Nick Calathes, it was clear that it was a horrible match. But Shara drives home with a wide smile on her face.
“Congratulations to my players. It was an important victory after two defeats. We defended well, we didn’t let the people of Žalgiris feel comfortable. And in the attack you see the numbers. It is abnormal for our level team to play with 24 errors. If we can win a Euroleague away game with 8 triples and so many errors, it’s incredible. But the most important victory, ”summarized Šas Jasikevičius at the press conference.
– Was it difficult to swallow your emotions when you saw the video for yourself in the bucket of sand?
– Before the game I talked about the fans, it is very good that there were none. You don’t come to applaud or thank you. You come to win. If there were such emotions without the fans, it would have been much worse with the fans. And it would have been even more difficult with a game like that. That is good in this regard.
After two losses, nervousness emerged in our game and was reflected in our decisions. But it is in such situations that the party must withdraw, with character and physicality. We need to understand that we need to improve the form. 10-month season: it is unusual that we play as well as last month. There will be fluctuations. Now we have to improve the game again and get back to that level.
VIDEO: Š.Jasikevičius – about the fantastic “Žalgiris”, false pessimism about M.Schiller and Barcelona
– How did you turn off Marius Grigonis, who played the most ineffective game of the Euroleague season (5 points, 2/5 years, 4th year)?
– For all teams today, Grigonis is the number one accent. We were also preparing. We did a great job before Marius received the ball. Do not allow him to gain speed …
“Žalgiris” plays a very fast positional basketball with a lot sweaters (transfer situations where the ball is passed from one hand to the other). When you pick up speed, it’s hard to catch up after that. It was important to slow down and we did it a bit. In this position, we have something to build against such players: Hanga, Abrines defends well and has repeatedly shown that he can stop players like Marius perfectly.
– How much fun is it to see such a Rokas Jokubaitis, who repeated the Euroleague performance record with 15 points?
– Cruel. Sometimes he is 20 years old … Now he is 20 years old, but he has come to us since he was 15-16 years old. Devotion, that crazy desire, the maximum of each training … As Tomas Masiulis told you last year, you, Roka, have not changed. We threw after training … Rock always does everything 100 percent. Just so it doesn’t change. I don’t think … He has a good head on his shoulders.
– What did you say to Marek Blaževičius, hugging him after the game and accompanying him to the locker room?
– Well, you know … When we met, we talked to him. I knew it could be. But I wanted to say a few words to him. I even feel a little bad in this situation. I didn’t do anything wrong, but I feel bad. It is a pity. Just so that the child does not break. But Marek is like Rock. It is certainly much older in mind than your passport numbers. I don’t think it really breaks.
From what I understood when I spoke with Paulius Motiejūnas, “Žalgiris” will have a lot of matches in December, it will definitely be necessary. I think he’s one of those with a solid head on his shoulders. He is very talented and will keep going. I am very happy that he came to Žalgiris, no matter how difficult it is for him today.
– Do you feel more pressure due to the defeats in Spain?
– I work for a soccer club. There are exactly zero journalists sitting after every ACB game. Nobody writes articles about every change I make. Each of my coverages. Every swear word of mine. I mean, I really knew I would miss you. I miss you for sure. After all, that attention to Lithuanian basketball is a huge driving force. This is how it should be here. We have to admit that I live in a soccer city, I work in a soccer country and in a soccer club. But I’m not really complaining.
– Did we understand correctly that it is more fun for you personally when everyone is so immersed in your work?
– If you are not interested, would you like to live? Behold. I am in the same.
– What did you think when “Žalgiris” led at the start of the season and beat Barcelona?
– I said in Žalgiris that it is not important to look at the tables in the first half of the season, because they do not mean anything. It’s even more important to watch the table during a pandemic, because success depends on so much: whether you are sick, an opponent, or a match. The table does not determine anything at this time. When “Žalgiris” was higher, it is -10 or +10 how the match starts in the first half, but we will count the hens at the end of May.
– How do you rate the newcomers from “Žalgiris”?
– We had Rubita first on the list of candidates two years ago. He decided to go to Olympiacos. Zach LeDay was second on the list. I like Rubit brutally. Lauvergne … When else could we sign a player with NBA experience from a club like Fenerbahche?
For me, the composition of “Žalgiris”, as I stressed, is very good. With Garino there would be total space. But we have never had so many years to bring back the four minds of the team: Grigonis, Jokubaitis, Lekavičius, Walkup. Vasturia contributed, which I think can really create a game. But we know how difficult the first year in the Euroleague is and how difficult it is to enter from the lower leagues. But he plays his minutes, plays a lot and will continue.
We didn’t have things like this for veterans to fill those positions. Nigel still remains … “Žalgiris” has every opportunity to play and be in better positions.
– Have you heard Paulius Motiejūnas in the lodge supporting “Žalgiris” so emotionally?
– Yes, everything is heard now. Now it is easier to prepare for the game. Nothing will hide because there are no fans, there is no sound. Paul is president, but still, maybe, and a fan in the first place (smiles).
– As for improving the game, some of your phrases are already being repeated in the Spanish media and are well recognized by us to the point of doing damage. How does the Barça team react at your pace?
– Same. I am the same person, my phrases are the same. After all, I will not read other phrases in books. We are all the same people. Nothing will change, neither will I. You try to help them. I’m the type of person who says everything with a little more aggressiveness. We are who we are.
– With Martin Schiller, he spoke briefly after the game in a few words. What was that short conversation about?
– I wish you good luck in good health. Every coach wants the same thing. I said we are very watching, sick for them.
After he signed a contract with Žalgiris, I contacted him so that if he needed anything, he wouldn’t be afraid to call, etc. In the summer we had a very funny conversation with him. Here is my team and as soon as I can help, I will help you.
– What advice did I need the most and what did I want to give you the most?
– More maybe out of respect, a message and a call, if you need something, it will help them and “Žalgiriukas” to be better. If you want, know that you can call. I know he won’t call but I’m brutally polite grandfather.
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