INTERVIEW: Begić: “We haven’t revealed everything in our games against Zvezda yet!”

Friday, 07. April 2017 at 10:00

Mirza Begić is one of the players at Cedevita’s side that keep playing better and better as the season’s end is approaching. We have spoken with the big man ahead of the Finals and he sounds optimistic at the moment. He promises even more from Cedevita than we have seen so far.

Mirza Begic (Photo: Cedevita/Marin Susic)

Read more in the lines below.

Ahead of you are the big Finals, something that you have worked for and fought for throughout the entire season. How do you look at the final series from this point?

“Every Finals are the crown of work of the players, coaches, club in a whole and the entire season. That’s how it is also this time. Already in the Semi-finals we have witnessed well-balanced encounters, as well as full arenas, what especially pleased me. I believe that Finals would be played in this kind of an atmosphere as well, that it would be spoken a lot about the games and that a ticket more will always be sought. Crvena zvezda mts are a top-level club, an EuroLeague club that are fighting for the Quarter-finals and for sure our task would not be easy. However, we believe in ourselves, in our quality and I hope that in the Finals we would show ourselves in the best light possible and that we would play excellent games against the favourites.”

You faced Crvena zvezda mts twice this season and were defeated both times. What do you need to change regarding those two games?

“It has been a long season so far. There have been many ups and downs for us, lots of injuries that prevented us at the times to show our maximum. Crvena zvezda mts have played the entire season at the top level what they have demonstrated also in the games against us. By being eliminated from the EuroCup we have gained a bit of extra time for the practices and to raise the level of our performances and I hope that in the Finals we would play the best way we can and to give our maximum. Unfortunately, we are still plagued by injuries so we will enter the finals without Boatright and Arapović, in Belgrade also without our head coach Mršić. However they say that what does not kill you makes you stronger, so I hope that we can find inner reserves and play in the best possible way for the guys that will not be there with us.”

Both teams are well known by strong frontcourts. You will fight a tough battle with Zvezda’s tall players. What can affect the outcome of the two clashes.

“Crvena zvezda mts have a fantastic frontcourt and it is difficult to play against it. I believe that we will tactically prepare well, analyse their minuses and attack them there. If we look strictly at the position 5, there are Miro Bilan and I and I am convinced that we can fulfil even the toughest tasks that the head coach could place before us. Also, there are some things that we still haven’t revealed in the games against Crvena zvezda mts and that we can use now. Let them think about us a bit too.”

What are the advantages of Cedevita and what are the advantages of Crvena zvezda mts in the forthcoming series of the Finals?

“I do not wish to speak of the weaknesses and advantages ahead of the finals. It is our job to be at our best and to take one game at the time and see what happens. Both of us have demonstrated that we are the two best teams of the league so far and that a true Finals are ahead of us, a series of interesting games that will draw attention from the fans in Belgrade, Zagreb and beyond. I believe that everything will go through a true sporting spirit and that basketball would win. Of course I also hope that we would be the ones to lift the championship trophy in the end.”

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Mirza Begić: „Ima još stvari koje još nismo pokazali protiv Zvezde“

Mirza Begić je jedan od igrača u Cedevitinoj momčadi koji igraju sve bolje kako se bliži kraj sezone. Pričali smo s visokim igračem prije početka finala i u ovom trenutku zvuči optimistično. Obećava još više od Cedevite nego što smo bili u prilici vidjeti do sada.

Pročitajte više u donjim redovima.

Pred vama je veliko finale, nešto za što ste radili i borili se cijele sezone. Kako gledate na predstojeću finalnu seriju?

„Svako finale kruna je rada igrača, trenera, kluba u cjelini cijele sezone. Tako je i ovoga puta. Već u polufinalu gledali smo sjajne izjednačene dvoboje kao i pune dvorane što me je oduševilo. Vjerujem da će finalna serija proći u isto takvom ozračju, da će se o utakmicama pričati a u dvoranama tražiti karta više. Crvena zvezda je vrhunski klub, Euroligaš koji se bori za četvrtfinale i zasigurno nas ne očekuje lak posao, no mi vjerujemo u sebe, u svoju kvalitetu i nadam se da ćemo se u finalu predstaviti u najboljem svjetlu i pružiti odlične partije sa favoriziranim protivnikom.“

Protiv Crvene zvezde mts ste 2 puta igrali ove sezone i oba puta ste poraženi. Šta je potrebno promijeniti u odnosu na te dvije utakmice?

„Duga je sezona, imali smo i uspona i padova, dosta ozljeda koje su nas ponekad sputavale da pružimo maksimum. Crvena zvezda je cijelu sezonu odigrala na vrhunskoj razini što je pokazala u obije utakmice sa nama. Mi smo ispadanjem iz Eurokupa imali ponešto vremena za treninge i dizanje forme te se nadam da ćemo upravo u finalnoj seriji odigrati najbolje što možemo i pružiti maksimum. Nažalost, i dalje nas prate ozljede tako da ćemo u finale ući bez Boatrighta i Arapovića, u Beogradu i bez trenera Mršića ali kako se kaže što te ne ubije ojača te tako da se nadam da ćemo naći unutarnje rezerve i odigrati najbolje upravo za naše dečke koji neće biti na parketu sa nama.“

I jedna i druga ekipa su poznate po jakoj centarskoj liniji. Vi ćete imati direktan duel za Zvezdinim visokim igračima. Što može da odluči te duele?

„Crvena zvezda ima fantastičnu centarsku liniju i protiv nje je teško igrati. Vjerujem da ćemo se taktički dobro spremiti, analizirati njihove nedostatke i tu ih napasti. Ako gledamo striktno poziciju 5 tu smo Miro Bilan i ja i siguran sam da možemo dobro ispuniti najzahtjevnije stvari koje trener postavi pred nas. Također, ima nekih stvari koje još nismo pokazali u utakmicama sa Crvenom zvezdom a koje sada možemo iskoristiti. Neka i oni malo razmišljaju o nama.“

Koje su prednosti Cedevite, a koje Zvezde u predstojećoj seriji?

„O prednostima i manama ne bih uoči finalne serije. Na nama je da damo maksimum, da idemo utakmicu po utakmicu pa što bude. I oni i mi smo u dosadašnjem tijeku sezone dokazali da smo dvije najbolje momčadi ABA lige i da nas očekuje pravo finale, niz zanimljivih utakmica koje će privući pozornost navijača i u Beogradu i u Zagrebu a i diljem regije. Vjerujem da će sve proći u pravom sportskim ozračju i da će pobijediti košarka. Naravno da se nadam da ćemo na kraju mi podići pobjednički pehar.“

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