Team coach Oliveris Kostićius has reason to smile – both the improved Lithuanian weather and the results make the strategist happy. “I have nothing to complain about,” he laughs while talking to LKL.lt.
The strategist admits that the fourth place in the standings is like a dream come true, because the Utenians couldn’t think of anything else. Uniclub Casino – Juventus has overcome many challenges and pitfalls, but in the end, dreams never stop.
“We’ve already done a lot of things so far, so it’s a good sign that we can do even more,” says O. Kostićius.
The team from Ute allowed only Kaunas “Žalgiris” and Vilnius “Ryto” and “Wolves Twinsbet” teams.
In their way in the regular season, Žalgiris and “CBet” of Jonava still remained. The match against the latter will take place already on Saturday, at 5 p.m., and it will be possible to watch it on GO3 and BTV channels.
On the LKL.lt website – a conversation with the coach of the Utena club about this season’s achievements, TJStarks who compensated for the loss of the leader, Scoochie Smith’s progress and the return of Ivan Vraneš.
– You have secured the fourth place in the standings. How do you feel about that?
– This is a good result, but when we started the season, we talked about the goals that we would try to achieve. I wouldn’t say it was our goal – it was our dream. The dream is to be among the top 4 teams. We have come so far in the season that we deserve to be where we are.
We had our ups and downs, like every team, but even now, before the end of the season, I can say that we have done a great job as a whole organization: the staff, the players, the management. We have little time to enjoy this dream come true.
– What were the biggest challenges you faced during the regular season?
– The biggest problem for us, without a doubt, was the loss of an important player at an important time – I’m talking about Brae Ivey. The few games after he left showed us how important a man Ivey was to us. Afterwards we stuck around trying to find him a shift and moving on.
Another thing that a lot of people deal with during the season with this kind of schedule is injuries. It’s also become a challenge for us over the last couple of months, especially when it comes to the starting five.
– In the past, Uniclub Casino – Juventus players mentioned that during difficult periods you encouraged them to talk to each other more. Did these conversations help?
– Really, I liked that we all got involved in these topics, we all talked, we had meetings – anyway, it affects us all. We had a lot of good conversations and I think they helped us dig in and fill in some details. When the team is stuck, has injuries or other problems, others always have to step up and give something extra. I think we did that.
– You mentioned how painful the loss of B.Ivey was. How much easier has it been for you as a coach to have a quarterback like TJStarks come on board?
– Now everything is different than it seemed at the beginning (Laughs). First of all, he arrived still injured, had not played for a while and needed time to integrate and recover. This is a process. Finally, we see the result of what we have all invested in this process. He is still far from the potential he has, but we have seen TJ’s contribution to the team’s results recently.
– What potential do you think TJStarks has?
– In recent years, he has made a specific journey in Europe, and for a player like him, choosing the right place and being consistent is very important. I think the problem for him was consistency, going step by step. He has potential not only offensively to create things, but also defensively, but there are many things that need to be improved to make the overall picture brighter. We are working, everything is going in the right direction, we hope that it will continue to move forward.
– Scoochie Smith is playing probably the best basketball of his career, how has he grown over the years?
– I have been following him for quite some time, I agree that he is playing the best season, being the absolute leader on the field. Not only in attack, but also in defense. As some would say, he is a true general on the field. We can all see its benefits.
But I wouldn’t want to single out Smith, a lot of our players have stepped up this season. As a coach, this is the greatest satisfaction for me, because I see that all players have progressed, regardless of their age.
– Ryan Taylor had health problems, is he ready to return to the field yet?
– We all hoped that the problems would be solved sooner. They are getting better, but I still can’t say when he will be able to fully join the team. I hope it will be in the next few days, but it is beyond our control.
– Ivan Vraneš was suspended. Do you still expect him to join the team this season?
– He is working. His wrist issues are going well and he is very close to being back. I also hope that it is a matter of days and both guys will soon help the team in the upcoming matches.
– Since I. Vraneš was suspended, do you see that such a punishment was a signal after which the basketball player drew conclusions?
– Of course, such things have an impact, but we all hope that all this is in the past.
– Until the end of the regular season, you have to play matches against CBet Jonava and Kaunas Žalgiris, which you will not need. Who will be the most important in these matches?
– The most important thing for me is to stay healthy. We all know how hard it is for our team to find a rhythm when some of the guys are not healthy. I believe that if the squad is full, we have all the potential to be ready for the toughest games ahead.
– You still don’t know which team you will meet in the quarterfinals – “7bet-Lietkabeliu” from Panevėžys (15-13) or “Neptūnu” from Klaipėda (14-15). If you had to guess, who do you think will be fifth?
– The teams have a few matches left, they will show, but if I had to guess, I think that Panevėžys have slightly better chances to stay fifth. But no one knows. We do not count what we will get, we will fight with them and prepare.
– You consider the fourth place in the regular season a dream come true. Do you think this team has the potential to create something special in the playoffs as well?
– We have already done a lot of things so far, so this is a good sign that we can do even more. The playoffs are the stage where teams have to look their best. If we are ready for it, we have a chance to take another step forward.
