Chris Warren, Bizkaia Bilbao Basket
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 Although he's a newcomer to Bizkaia Bilbao Basket, swingman Chris Warren sums up the competitive team spirit found at the club. After proving himself as an elite scorer in the Euroleague over the past several seasons, Warren came to Bilbao over the summer knowing that on such a deep team he would sacrifice minutes and points for success. He has embraced that opportunity to be part of a winner and now enters the Eurocup Finals this weekend in Vitoria needing just two more victories to grab his – and the club's – first continental title. Warren, a college teammate of two Eurocup kings last season, Chuck Eidson and Marijonas Petravicius of Lietuvos Rytas, ranked fourth in the 2008-09 Euroleague regular season with 16.2 points per game for Air Avellino of Italy. His role in Bilbao is much different, calling for Warren to provide less scoring but more of everything else. As he told Eurocupbasketball.com, no sacrifice is too big if Warren can put his hands around a trophy this weekend. "As a basketball player, you always work hard and want to be at the top level," Warren said. "To hold that trophy means you're at that top level and can say you were champion that year. It's something you can look back on later and tell your kids about."
Chris, first of all. what's it feel like for you to be playing for a European trophy at the end of this week?
"For me, it's an opportunity to finally put something else on my resume. Last year, I didn't have a chance to win any kind of championship or cup or nothing. This year, neither. We lost the Spanish Cup earlier in the season. So it's a nice motivation to try to bring the Euroleague to Bilbao and then for me personally to win a European trophy. That would be special."
Does playing the Eurocup Finals so close to home give Bilbao an advantage?
"I think it gives us an advantage. You still have to play the games, of course. But with our fans coming from right next door, it should help us. In that situation, if you struggle to make shots, they give support. It won't feel like a road game. We'll feel them."
Does it also put any pressure on you guys?
"There's always pressure, but we got this far and now there's excitement around here to finish the job. There will always be a little pressure, same as it was to get here, but no more than usual. We were also in a bad situation earlier in the season with a losing streak in the Spanish League. We got out of that, and doing so will help us deal now with this pressure."
You were one of Bilbao's few additions and have taken on a role in which you do some of everything. Can you describe how it's worked out?
"It's been a little different, yeah. Last year I was asked to score a lot more. Here, I am supposed to do all the little things: score, rebound, pass, defend. Everything they ask me, really. Dealing with injuries, it was hard to get my role on the team set. But finally I think I kind of know what coach wants from me, and that helps."
Was it hard to go from a double-digit scorer in the Euroleague the last few years to shooting less but winning more?
"To be honest, it has been a little hard. I know what i can do for a team. It has been kind of hard, so I just try to put team first and do what the coach asks. I know my time will come again with bigger roles."
Despite thriving in the Eurocup, the team has been up and down domestically and gone through a coaching change. What is Bilbao's frame of mind now?
"It's true that this has been kind of a yo-yo year for us. There's no hiding that, with our record going up and down in Spain. I just feel now that we have the opportunity to show ourselves, in one game first, against Berlin. If we get to the second game, hopefully we'll show that our level is good enough to be on the Euroleague level."
What do you have to do specifically against semifinals opponent Alba Berlin?
 "I am not so familiar with them. I know they're having a good year in the German League and the Eurocup. They were even fighting for a spot in the Euroleague earlier this year. So they are up there, talent-wise, and have big ambitions to go to the Euroleague level. We have to be ready and prepared. Nobody can pencil themselves into the final, not us or Valencia. Panellinios has a good team and Berlin does too. The got here, so they have to be good."
You started your pro career in Mexico and took a ladder almost to Chile, Portugal, Serbia, Croatia, Italy and now Spain Did you ever think about playing in a continental final like this one this weekend?
"You always dream and hope it's going to happen. Now it's here, and I see it as a great opportunity to win a championship. It is a special opportunity, too, especially coming all the way from Aguascalientes, Mexico to Bilbao. But I hope I have more years in Spain and more opportunities to come."
What would it mean to put your hands around the Eurocup trophy this week?
"It would mean a lot. As a basketball player, you always work hard and want to be at the top level. To hold that trophy means you're at that top level and can say you were champion that year. It's something you can look back on later and tell your kids about."
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Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Eurocupbasketball.com
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