INTERVIEW: Stefan Sinovec - “I hope Jane Sandanski soon becomes the toughest away court again!”

Stefan Sinovec has jouined MZT Skopje Aerodrom squad after the beginning of the new season and has immediately brought new energy to the team and with that, they have managed to win their first game of the season for any of the Macedonian clubs in the new season of the ABA League.

For the third time Sinovec is playing for MZT, he knows the club well and is expected to be one of the leaders of the team led by Aleksandar Jončevski.

We spoke with Stefan about the first Macedonian derby, about changes on the team, but also about current situation in the league, for which he is competent to speak about, having in mind his long ABA League career.

You haven't been a part of MZT Skopje Aerodrom team from the beginning of the season, when the crisis of results began. However, since you have arrived the team keeps playing better and now the first win came – in the Skopje derby against Karpoš Sokoli. What does this success mean for you as a team?

"After unlucky defeat by Cibona at home court, there was this poor performance in Zadar nad simply we were in a situation with no other option in the game against Karpoš Sokoli. For sure the first win means lots to us, but we are aware of the fact that the situation is still tough for us and that the win should not be questionable at any time. The triumph brings us greater self-confidence and I believe that it will contribute to our better performances in the games ahead of us."

How do you look at the changes in your team. What have the substitution of head coach and the arrival of experienced Daniel Clark brought to you?

"Every change brings something brand new. Due to the circumstances I only had one practice with the former coach Rajković, so I could not speak of his coaching methods and the way that the games were played under his guidance. Regarding the new/former coach Jončevski, it is certainly a good thing that every player on the team knows him well and that it was therefore easier for us to get used to his approach and work at the practices and during games. For sure with the arrival of Clark, this team is getting some additional options. Clark is a tall player that can play at both positions under the rim, but is also an excellent shooter, which brings us additional depth on the offensive end. I believe that with him aboard the better days for our team are arriving."

In the city derby against Karpoš Sokoli your team has demonstrated huge character, since you came back from a huge deficit and celebrated a win. Where did you find the strength to turn the game around?

"The importance of this game made us to enter the game nervously, which has contributed to the huge deficit already in the opening quarter. We played much better in the second quarter, especially on defense and afterwards started scoring as well, so we went to the half time break being only 7 points behind. In the end we won the game thanks to our character and defense, even though we did not play as well as we can. The most important in the end is the fact that we have won."

The fans in the stands have recognized your fighting spirit and helped you to reach the win by cheering loudly. How important is their support to you?

"The fans have recognized when it was the right moment to give us the wings. They felt the game in the right way and helped us in many ways to return from being behind and to triumph. I hope that there will be even more of them in the next game and that Skopje can become the toughest away court to play in the ABA League again, as it used to be before."

For a long time you have been playing in the ABA League. There are lots of exciting game endings this season, the games that are decided by a single shot. How do you see all the happening this season? Are there any upsets in your opinion?

"There were always upsets and always will be and that is what makes ABA League as exciting as it is. For years behind, there has always been some team that was a hit of the season. By now we have witnessed lots of exciting games this season and I expect even more!"

How high can MZT Skopje Aerodrom reach after a slow start? Can you enter the battle for the Playoffs and who do you see as main candidates for entering the top four spots?

"For sure slow start has messed up some of our plans and currently we are only taking one game at a time. We will try our best in order to reach the positive win/loss ratio and we will then see what and how much we can do. Regarding the Playoffs candidates, there are for sure Crvena zvezda mts, Partizan NIS, Budućnost VOLI and Cedevita, but the championship is a long one and there can always be someone else to jump in. However, these four teams are the favourites in my opinion."

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Stefan Sinovec: "Se nadevam deka povtorno će bideme najteško gostuvanje vo ABA-ligata!"

Stefan Sinovec i se prikluči na ekipata na MZT Skopje Aerodrom po početokot na novata sezona i vednaš donese nova energija na parketot, koja pred nekolku dena, konečno, ja donese i prvata pobeda za makedonskiot tim vo novoto izdanie od ABA-ligata protiv lokalniot rival Karpoš Sokoli.

Za srpskiot internacionalec ova e tretpat što će go obleče sino-beliot dres na ekipata od Skopje, dobro ja poznava sredinata i od nego se očekuva da bide eden od predvodnicite na timot koj sega e predvoden od trenerot Aleksandar Jončevski.

So Stefan razgovaravme za prvoto makedonsko derbi vo regionalnoto natprevaruvanje, za promenite vo sostavot na „metalcite“, no i za momentalnata sostojba vo ABA-ligata, za što e kompetenten da zboruva so ogled na dolgogodišniot nastap za ekipi koi nastapuvaat vo jadranskata konkurencija.

Ne ste od startot so timot na MZT Skopje Aerodrom, koj imaše rezultatska kriza na početokot od sezonata, no po vašeto doađanje ekipata igra se podobro, pa dojde konečno dojde i prvata pobeda vo gradskoto derbi protiv Karpoš Sokoli. Što za vas kako tim znači ovoj uspeh?

„Po nesrećniot poraz od Cibona na domašen teren se nadovrza i bledoto izdanie vo Zadar, poradi što bevme vo rečisi bezizlezna situacija pred duelot so Karpoš Sokoli. Sigurno deka mnogu ni znači prviot triumf, no svesni sme deka i ponatamu sme vo teška situacija. Triumfot ni nosi pogolema samodoverba i veruvam deka će pridonese da igrame daleku podobro vo sredbite koi se pred nas.“

Kako gledate na poslednite promeni vo ekipata i što vi donese smenata na trenerot kako i doađanjeto na iskusniot Daniel Klark?

„Sekoja promena sekogaš nosi nešto novo. Imav samo eden trening so prethodniot trener Emil Rajković, pa ne možam da zboruvam za načinot na koj toj rabotel ili na toa kako se igrale sredbite pod negovo vodstvo. Što se odnesuva do noviot/star trener Jončevski, sigurno e dobro što rečisi site košarkari veće dobro go poznavaat i so samoto toa posledno se priviknaa na negoviot pristap na treninzite i na natprevarite. Sigurno e deka so doađanjeto na iskusen igrač kako Klark će dobieme dopolnitelni opcii. Klark e visok košarkar, koj dobro se snaođa na dvete centarski pozicii, no istovremeno e i odličen šuter so kogo će imame pogolema raznovrsnost vo napadot. Veruvam deka so nego doađaat i podobri denovi za našiot klub.“

Vašiot tim pokaža golem karakter vo lokalnata presmetka so Karpoš Sokoli, otkako pobedi po golemata negativa. Od kade najdovte sila za eden vakov presvrt?

„Važnosta koja ja imaše ovaa sredba ne dovede vo situacija lošo i nervozno da go počneme duelot, što, pak, rezultira so deficit pogolem od 20 poeni ušte vo prvata četvrtina. Vtoriot period go odigravme daleku podobro, a počnavme i da pogoduvame poradi što na poluvreme zaminavme so poskromna negativa od sedum poeni. Na krajot ja izvlekovme pobedata so karakter i so odbrana iako ne igravme na posakuvanoto nivo. Najvažno od se e što pobedivme.“

Vašata borbenost beše prepoznaena i od gledačite na tribinite, koi so navivanje vi pomognaa vo borbata za pobeda. Kolku vi znači nivnata poddrška?

„Publikata vo vistinski moment počuvstvuva koga trebaše da ni dadat krilja, ja počuvstvuva sredbata na vistinski način i mnogu ni pomogna da se vratime od minusot i da pobedime. Se nadevam deka na slednite natprevari će bidat vo ušte pogolem broj i deka naskoro Skopje povtorno će bide najteško gostuvanje vo ligata.“

Dolgo vreme igrate vo ABA-ligata. Ima mnogu vozbudlivi natprevari koi se rešavaat so edna topka, kako gledate na slučuvanjata sezonava, ima li nekoe iznenaduvanje po vaše mislenje?

„Sekogaš imalo iznenaduvanja i taka će bide i ponatamu, poradi toa ovaa liga e tolku interesna. So godini nanazad nekoja ekipa se pojavuva od nikade i stanuva hit na sezonata. Do sega imaše golem broj interesni natprevari i vo prodolženieto očekuva da ima ušte mnogu takvi.“

Kolku visoko može da se iskači MZT Skopje Aerodrom na tabelata po bavniot start na sezonata? Dali smetate deka može da se vmešate vo borbata za plejof i koi ekipi gi gledate kako glavni kandidati za toa?

„Sigurno e deka lošiot start ni gi poremeti planovite i vo momentov razmisluvame samo za sledniot protivnik što ne očekuva. Će probame što poskoro da vlezeme vo pozitivna serija, pa duri togaš će vidime što i kolku možeme. Što se odnesuva do favoritite za plejof, toa sigurno se Crvena Zvezda, Partizan, Budučnost i Cedevita, no prvenstvoto e dolgo i sekogaš ima prostor nekoj drug da se vmeša od strana. No, mislam deka ovie četiri ekipi imaat najgolemi šansi da vlezat vo borba za šampionskiot trofej.“