INTERVIEW: Nemanja Gordić – “It’s time to finally reach the Finals”

Thursday, 15. March 2018 at 14:00

For the 6th time in the previous 15 years Budućnost VOLI have advanced to the final stage of the regional championship. Also, this will be the 4th time in a row that the squad from Podgorica will play in the Playoffs. However, they have never reached the Finals so far. 

ABA League j.t.d. logo

For the 6th time in previous 15 years Budućnost VOLI have advanced to the final stage of the regional championship. Also, this will be the 4th time in a row that the squad from Podgorica will play in the Playoffs. However, they have never reached the Finals so far.

Still, Budućnost VOLI point guard Nemanja Gordić, who is playing one of the best seasons in his life and who has been selected into the ideal five of the 2017/18 ABA League regular season, believes that the time has come for his team to finally advance to the Finals.

Can you say that you are in good form in front of the Playoffs?

“We have this whole week to prepare ourselves for the semi-final series. We finally have some time to focus on trainings, which means a lot to us, especially after going through a difficult series against Darussafaka in EuroCup. We have won an important game against FMP and secured home-court advantage in the semi-finals, so I believe that we are in good rhythm.”

We are used to watch Budućnost VOLI in the ABA League Playoffs, however your team have never reached the Finals. Can you make that happen in this season?

“We all truly hope that this is the season in which we will finally make that step forward and reach the ABA Finals. Of course, it won’t be easy, but our performances during the regular season give us the right to dream about the Finals. And we will do everything we can to make that dream come true.”

In this season you have already played 5 games against Cedevita, including 2 in ABA League, 2 in EuroCup and 1 in ABA Super Cup, while now you will play at least two more games against them. What is your opinion about Cedevita?

“There are no easy rivals in this part of the competition. Cedevita is a great team, so it will be extremely difficult to beat them. But, it will also be extremely difficult for them to beat us. It is very important that we will have home-court advantage in this series.”

Who is the main favorite to win the ABA championship?

“All 4 teams which have reached the Playoffs have ambitions to win the trophy. We’ll see down on the court what will happen. You should always have a bit of luck as well in this part of the competition. Anyway, the battle for the trophy will be very interesting.”

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INTERVJU: Nemanja Gordić – “Svi verujemo da je došlo vreme za finale”

Od 15. sezona u regionalnoj ligi, Budućnost Voli će ove godine šesti put biti deo šampionske trke. Četvrti put za redom. Ali, do sada nijednom nije uspela da pređe prvu stepenicu.

Nemanja Gordić koji igra jednu od najboljih sezona u karijeri što potvrđuje i mesto u idealnoj petorci ABA lige po izboru trenera i navijača, veruje da je došao trenutak za taj iskorak.

U kakvoj formi ekipa Budućnosti ulazi u plej-of ABA lige ove sezone?

"Pre plej-ofa imaćemo celu sedmicu na raspolaganju i dosta vremena za trening, sto će nam veoma značiti jer smo imali napornu seriju protiv Darušafake. Pobedili smo važan meč protiv FMP-a kod kuće i obezbedili prednost domaćeg terena u polufinalu. U dobrom ritmu nastavljamo dalje."

U poslednjim sezonama smo navikli da gledamo vaš tim u plej-ofu ABA lige, ali do sada niste uspeli uđete u finale. Da li ove sezone možete napraviti korak dalje?

"Svi se iskreno nadamo da je ovo sezona u kojoj će klub napraviti iskorak i konačno ući u finale. Igre tokom cijele sezone nam daju za pravo da se nadamo tome, naravno biće jako teško, ali daćemo sve od sebe."

Ove sezone praktično igrate „mini ligu“ sa Cedevitom. Zajedno sa Evrokupom i Superkupom do sada ste već odigrali pet utakmica, a slede vam još barem dvije. Da li vam zagrebačka ekipa leži kao protivnik?

"Nema lakih protivnika u polufinalu. Cedevita je odličan sastav i biće jako teško. Ali mislim da će njima takođe biti teško protiv nas. Važno je i što imamo prednost domaćeg terena."

Ko je prema vama favorit za osvajanje titule prvaka ABA lige?

"Što se tiče favorita, objektivno sve četiri ekipe koje su ušle u borbu za titulu imaju ambicije i da je osvoje. Papir i kvalitet na papiru su jedno, a teren nešto sasvim drugo. Treba imati i malo sreće svakako, sve u svemu biće zanimljiva trka za titulu."

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