INTERVIEW: Dragan Apić - Home court is the key

Dragan Apić was once again the player with the highest index rating in FMP. In the match against Krka, talented center was close to complete a double-double achievement with 18 points and 8 rebounds, but the most important thing was that his team scored a very valuable win.

Apić, who was the MVP of the 14th round in ABA League, also emphasized that it is much more important to him that FMP are improving the form every week.

Read the full interview with Dragan Apić.

In the 1st game in 2017, FMP scored a valuable win against Krka. How much does this win mean for the team in front of the most important part of the season?

"It definitely means a lot to us. Perhaps we were under a slight pressure at the beginning of the match, but we managed to overcome it and to score an important win. Now we are heading toward a series of games against the direct rivals in the race for ABA League survival and every win counts double."

This is your first season in ABA League. How much does it mean for a young player like you to play in the regional competition?

"It is very important for me that I am playing in ABA League and that I am getting a lot of minutes on court. I am trying to return the trust the coach has put in me by working hard every day. After all, ABA League is the competition that is on a much higher level than anything we have experienced before. For years we were winning the 1st place in the Main Stage of the Serbian Championship, so we needed a bigger challenge. In ABA League we have a chance to play a high-quality match every week and I believe that we are all improving as a team."

FMP have one of the youngest teams in the league, while all the players are at the similar age. Do you hang out outside the court and with which teammate are you spending the most time?

"Yeah, of course we hang out outside the gym. Most of us have been playing together in the youth categories. I spend the most time with Davidovac and Bursać as I know them for a very long time. In free time we play video games or go somewhere for a drink."

It seems that you have a great cooperation with the Australian power forward Jonah Bolden. In the last match against Krka, two of you had 24 rebounds combined! That is an impressive number...

"Bolden has fit into our team perfectly. He is very talented, has excellent physical abilities and most importantly he is giving his best on every training and in every match. So far everything is good..."

There are 10 more rounds to be played in the ABA League Regular Season. What do you think will be the decisive factor in the race for survival?

"In the 1st part of the season we have played against almost all direct rivals for the ABA League survival on their courts. Now all of them are coming to our house. Therefore, I think that the most important thing for us will be to win the home games in the rest of the season."

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Dragan Apić - "Domaći teren vodi ka opstanku"

Dragan Apić je u prošlom kolu ponovo bio igrač sa najvećim indeksom uspešnosti u timu FMP-a. Talentovani centar je u meču protiv Krke sa 18 poena i 8 skokova bio blizu da ostvari dabl-dabl učinak, ali najvažnije od svega jeste da je FMP ostvario jako bitnu pobedu u borbi za opstanak.

Apić, koji je bio MVP 14. kola ABA lige, i sam kaže da mu je mnogo bitnije da njegova ekipa napreduje iz nedelje u nedelju.

Pročitajte ceo intervju sa igračem FMP-a.

U prvoj utakmici u 2017. godini ostvarili ste veoma važnu pobedu nad Krkom. Koliko vam to znači na psihološkom planu pred odlučujući deo sezone?

"Definitivno nam mnogo znači. Možda smo na početku igrali pod blagim protiskom, ali smo uspeli to da prebrodimo i da slavimo važnu pobedu. Sada kreće serija utakmica protiv direktnih konkurenata u borbi za opstanak i svaka pobeda se važi duplo, da se tako izrazim."

Ovo je vaša prva sezona u ABA ligi. Koliko vam kao mladom igraču znači što igrate u regionalnom takmičenju?

"Jako mi je bitno što igram u ABA ligi i što dobijam veliku minutažu. Pokušavam da svojim radom i zalaganjem opravdam poverenje trenera. Ipak je ABA liga takmičenje koje je na znatno višem nivou od svega što smo pre igrali. Godinama smo bili prvi u tom prvom delu prvenstva Srbije, tako da nam je bio potreban veći izazov. U ABA ligi svake nedelje imamo priliku da igramo kvalitetne utakmice i verujem da svi zajedno napreduemo kao tim."

FMP ima jednu od najmladjih ekipa u ligi, a izmedju igrača nema velike razlike u godinama. Da li se družite i van terena i sa kim provodite najviše vremena?

"Da, naravno da se družimo. Većina nas je igrala zajedno još u mladjim kategorijama. Najviše vremena provodim sa Davidovcem i Bursaćem, koje baš dugo poznajem. U slobodno vreme odemo negde na piće, igramo igrice..."

Čini se da na parketu posebno dobru saradnju imate sa Australijancem Džona Boldenom. Samo na prošloj utakmici protiv Krke vas dvojica ste imali ukupno 24 skoka što deluje zaista impresivno...

"Bolden se zaista jako dobru uklopio u naš tim. Jako je talentovan, ima odlične fizičke predispozicije, a najbitnije od svega je što se maksimalno trudi na svakom treningu i na svakoj utakmici. Za sada sve to funkcioniše dobro."

Ostalo je još 10 kola u ligaškom delu ABA lige. Šta mislite da će biti odlučujuće u borbi za opstanak?

"U prvom delu sezone smo gostovali gotovo svim direktnim konkurentima za opstanak, tako da sada oni dolaze na naš teren. Zato je za nas najvažnije da dobijamo utakmice kod kuće."