Intervija ar Skeeli

Armands Skele: 'My priority is to go to ACB League

The international latvian shooting guard, Armands Skele (192-G-83, agency: Agency No 10), who has been chosen as the best latvian player in the prestigious Eurobasket website, is marked as short-term goal to play on the world's second best league, the ACB League in Spain.
Skele, who has played in the latvian Barons/LMT Riga, averaging 11.3 points and 4 rebounds in the Eurocup, will play next September the Eurobasket with Latvian National Team, where after Biedrins (Golden State Warriors in the NBA), has become the main reference, as shown by the 13.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals averaged per game in the Eurobasket 2007 in Spain.

We have read in various media in your country that your priority next year is coming to the ACB League. Why?
Coming to play to ACB has allways been my priority because it is the second strongest league in the world. I have been working very hard for the last two years and I feel ready to take my game to the next level. There are lots of good teams in Spain and you have to show your best game every time you go on the floor.

This last season has been chosen as the best player in Latvia by the prestigious web eurobasket.com. Was this your best season?
It was really dissapointing to lose in the finals in game 7 ... I am very happy that eurobasket recognized me and named the best player - and I am thankfull to my teammates because I could not do it without them.

You will play the Eurobasket in september like one of the players as a reference of Latvia, alongside Biedrins. What to expect from the competition?
I expect that the competition will be very tough. But I think we can do big things this year . We got a new coach in Kestutis Kemzura who is a very big professional and has been working with lots of good teams. I hope that he will be the piece of the puzzle that we have been missing to show the best of what we can do.

Blums, Valters, Berzins .... Some of the names that we will see in in the ACB League next season. What can we say about them?
Blums and Valters did well last year in ACB and I think they will only become better. I have been playing together with Kaspars Berzins for the last few years in Barons/LMT Riga and he is a guy with tromendous potential. I think he will do very good in ACB in the next years!

How is Armands Skele like player?
(smile) It is hard to say about myself. I will leave it to coaches and fans to answer that .

What needs to improve Armands Skele to be a better player?
On all aspects of the game. You can never stop practising and start thinking that you are very good in something. You have to practise all the time to reach the maximum of what you can become as a basketball player.

Three years ago reached the point of going to the NBA. Assess that possibility?
NBA has been a dream from my childhood. Next year I am thinking about going to play in summer leagues and see what can I do over there.

A dream for next season ...
To win championship and win as much games that we can with the team that I will be playing. What can I say - I hate to lose! :)

Netulkoshu gan jau liela dala anglu valodu saprot.

avots: eurobasket.com