Stelmahers: " "Karsiyaka" is ar very strong team but we are not afraid"

BK Ventspils 2014-10-28 10:56

“We faced “Karsiyaka” two season ago during the FIBA EuroChallenge Cup. I have to say for sure that this team hasn’t become weaker after our last encounter on court" said BC "Ventspils" head coach Roberts Stelmahers.

“Karsiyaka” has won Turkish SuperCup, it is the leader of the national championship. This achievement doesn’t require any additional comments. They have very good foreign players, they are playing big minutes. This Turkish club is made of good and very well experienced players. They play fast and aggressive basketball, we have to be patient, and we have to try to enforce our style of the game on them. Their leader Dixon is very fast and aggressive players, he makes on average 17 shots per game, shoots from the distance, and goes in transition. He is the kind of a player who if allowed would win a team singlehandedly. Palacios is great help to him, last season he played for “Lietuvas Rytas”, he is a high-quality player, Diebler, too, is with a very good shot. They are a very strong team but we are not afraid, we know that can win this team.”

BK “Ventspils” player Martins Meiers: “I remember those games two years ago, but this time around the both teams are different. The rosters of both teams have changed. Yes, the Turkish players are older, stronger and more experienced, but I don’t think that is major plus for them. Yes, we are quite the youngster team and a lot of our players don’t have EuroCup game experience, but we have a brave heart, big vigour to fight, and if we concentrate solely on the game and we fight until the very last second of the game, then we can win them and every other rival. We have gained some experience from the game vs. “Lokomotiv” who we could have won, but we lacked experience to finish some vital episodes, we became nervous and didn’t believe in ourselves. The main thing for us is that we can’t stop, no matter who we face on the court, we have to play and fight until the end, and that is half way to victory.”