INTERVIEW: Djordje Majstorović – “ABA League – It’s a step forward”

One of the best players of Metalac Farmakom in this season Djordje Majstorović gave an interview for the official ABA League website.

The last round of the ABA League regular season will be perhaps the most exciting day in the history of the regional competition. What is the atmosphere in Metalac Farmakom before the crucial game?

"I really don"t recall that ABA League has ever been so thrilling, with many teams being so close. Still, after we defeated Union Olimpija, the atmosphere inside our team has become very relaxed. My teammates and I are convinced that we have already avoided relegation. Personally, I do not believe that Krka might do something in the clash against Crvena zvezda Telekom in Belgrade. Especially, because the Belgrade crew need that win in order to claim the home court advantage in the Playoffs.”

In the last round you will play against Mega Leks, a team that you have already beaten in the first part of the season, while it is also worth mentioning that Mega Leks lost their two previous games in the ABA League. Is that something that will boost your confidence in front of the final round?

"We are absolutely not paying attention to that previous game that we won against Mega Leks. It was a completely different situation back then. Also, I do not think that the fact they lost the previous two games will have some effect on the upcoming match. They are a very good team that must be respected. After all, their overall score says it all. We are going to Sremska Mitrovica without any pressure. We will try to play as best as we can and to look for a way to make an upset.”

What can be the decisive factor in the final round of the regular season?

"Speaking only about Metalac Farmakom, I think that the decisive game for us will be the one in Belgrade where Crvena zvezda Telekom host Krka. I would not like to speak about the other options, because I think they are not important for us.”

Together with Nikola Jevtović you make one of the best centers" tandems in the league. How much have ABA League helped you improve as a player?

"It is obvious that me and Jevtović are having an excellent cooperation for the second season in row. Especiallu in this season, when we have less number of players in rotation. ABA League was a big step forward in my career. Until that moment I haven"t had the opportunity to try myself in such a serious competition. I have gained a lot of experience by playing against so many quality teams and players and it helped me a lot in improving my game and collecting necessary experience. I proved to myself and to the others that I can play a top level basketball, which was my primary goal when I joined Metalac Farmakom.”

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Djordje Majstorović: "ABA liga - Korak ka ozbiljnoj košarci”

Djordje Majstorović, jedan of najboljih igrača Metalca Farmakom u tekućoj sezoni, dao je intervju za zvaničan sajt ABA lige. Odlični centar je pričao o mnogim stvarima, a istakao je da je ubedjen da će njegov tim izboriti opstanak u regionalnom takmičenju u poslednjem kolu...

Poslednje kolo ligaškog dela ABA lige biće verovatno jedno od najzanimljivijih u istoriji regionalnog takmičenja. Kakva je atmosfera u ekipi Metalca Farmakom pred odlučujuću rundu?

"Ne pamtim da je nekad ABA liga bila ujednačenija i neizvesnija do samoga kraja. U našoj ekipi je dosta opuštena atmosfera posle pobede nad Olimpijom. Moji saigrači i ja smo gotovo uvereni da smo izborili opstanak za Metalac. Lično ne verujem da ekipa Krke može da ugrozi Crvenu zvezdu u Beogradu, pogotovo kada se zna da je ta utakmica domaćinu veoma bitna zbog osiguravanja prednosti u plej-ofu.”

Ove sezone ste već pobedili Mega Leks, na domaćem terenu. Da li vam to, uz činjenicu da je Mega izgubila dve poslednje utakmice u ABA ligi, pruža dodatnu motivaciju pred tu utakmicu?

"Apsolutno se ne obaziremo na činjenicu da smo pobedili prethodnu utakmicu u ligaškom delu takmičenja. Tada je stanje stvari bilo potpuno drugačije. Takodje, mislim da na nas neće uticati činjenica da je ekipa Mega Leksa poražena u poslednja dva kola. To je odlična ekipa, vredna poštovanja što i sam njihov rezultat govori. što se našeg gostovanja ekipi Mege tiče, mi u Mitrovicu idemo rasterećeno. Pokušacemo da pružimo dobru partiju i da iz naše dobre igre eventualno tražimo šansu za iznenadjenje.”

šta može da bude odlučujuće u poslednjem kolu?

"što se košarkaškog kluba Metalac Farmakom tiče, po mom skromnom mišljenju za nas je odlučujuća utakmica u Pioniru izmedju Crvene zvezde i Krke. Ostalim kalkulacijama se ne bih bavio, mislim da one za nas nisu bitne.”

Zajedno sa Nikolom Jevtovićem činite jedan od najboljih centarskih tandema u ligi. Koliko vam je ABA liga pomogla da napredujete kao igrač?

"Evidentno je da Jevtović i ja već drugu sezonu odlično saradjujemo. Naročito ove sezone, jer je broj igrača u rotaciji još manji, pa je naša saradnja dobila na značaju. ABA liga je za mene bila veliki korak ka ozbiljnoj košarci. Do tog trenutka realno nisam imao prilike da se dokažem u ovako ozbiljnom takmičenju. Stekao sam veliko iskustvo igrajući protiv kvalitetnih ekipa i igrača i mislim da je to dosta doprinelo i mojoj igri, a pre svega samopouzdanju. Dokazao sam sebi i drugima da mogu da igram ozbiljnu košarku, što mi je i bio glavni cilj kada sam prvi put kročio na teren u dresu Metalca.”