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 Zach Morley was virtually unknown to most basketball fans when this season began, however after an outstanding debut season in the Eurocup with Budivelnik, he is now on everyone’s radar. Morley took a giant leap forward in his career after five years in the Spanish second and third divisions, joining his current team to fight for titles at all levels. Morley has proven that Budivelnik made a wise choice by gambling on a forward that had not yet been tested at the Eurocup level as he has been one of the most consistent players in the competition. Morley leads Budivelnik is scoring (13.1 ppg.) and rebounding (6 rpg.) and ranks second in assists (1.9 apg.) and steals (1.2 spg.) this season. Following back-to-back home wins against Aris BSA 2003 and Le Mans, Budivelnik is in good position to fight for a spot in the Eurocup Finals. Despite his and the team’s success, Morley has kept his feet firmly on the ground, as he explained in this Eurocupbasketball.com interview. "We have to keep playing hard and take one game at the time if we want to make it to the Finals," Morley told Eurocupbasketball.com. "It would be more than I could have expected."
Hello Zach. First of all, congratulations for the big win against Le Mans. What were the keys to the game and how difficult will Game 4 be in France?
"Thank you. I think that the key to the game was defense. If you want to be a strong team in the Eurocup, defense is the key to every game. Of course, the game in Le Mans will be tough for us, but if we keep playing good defense, we will have a chance to win it."
Budivelnik has lost only once at home and has picked up two road wins already. How has been this first Eurocup season for your club this far?
"I think it has been a good season for us so far. We managed to beat teams with a lot of history and tradition in European competitions. I don't know what to expect, but I think that we are strong and can play all the way to the end."
Do you think that playing the Euroleague Qualifying Rounds against a powerful team like Khimki - and more domestic games than anyone else – has helped Budivelnik to have a strong start in the competition?
"Yes, I think it helped us to have the right rhythm to beat strong opponents early in the season. We played incredible games in the beginning of the season, but now we have been together for a while and kind of know which are our strengths as a team. But yes, it was important to have a good start."
You played in the Spanish second and third divisions for five years and went straight to the Eurocup. How much of an adjustment did you need to this basketball level?
"I needed an adjustment, but not quite a big one compared to the Spanish second division (LEB Oro), which is stronger than many leagues out there. All teams are good at this level, while in LEB Oro some of them were only fighting to stay in the league. Here, any team can beat you on any given night."
 You will have Dee Spencer against his former team, Le Mans, in Game 4. What will he bring to the team?
"Well, Dee is a great scorer and that gives us another threat on offense. He has a lot of experience and like you said, we play against Le Mans, his former team, so he knows them well."
Of course, this is your Eurocup debut season, too. How do you find the playing level and the organization of the competition?
"The playing level is good. Every team is strong, especially now in this phase, and there are very good players in the Eurocup. The organization is good, too, so all we want right now is to keep adding wins to make it to the next round."
Another newcomer to Ukrainian basketball is head coach Josep Maria Berrocal, who has put a lot of trust in you. How is your relationship with coach Berrocal and what are his strong points as coach?
"I would say that for me, it is incredible luck to have him as coach. I played in Spain for five years and he talks in Spanish a lot, which is what I am used to. Coming from Barcelona, he has a lot of experience at all levels in Europe. He pays a lot of attention to details and defensively, the team is working pretty well."
Budivelnik now has a good chance to survive the Last 16. What would it mean for a historic club like Budivelnik and for you, personally, to reach the Eurocup Finals in Treviso?
"It would be huge! For me, personally, one of the reasons why I came to Budivelnik was to play in European competitions. We have to keep playing hard and take one game at the time if we want to make it to the Finals. It would be more than I could have expected. The club has not been at this level in Europe for many years, so I am sure it is a huge thing for everyone here, too."
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Friday, February 04, 2011
Javier Gancedo, Eurocupbasketball.com
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