 Cedevita Zagreb has defied the odds this season as a Eurocup newcomer that started in the Qualifying Round to make it all the way to the Eurocup Finals. Despite its many injuries, an opening home loss in the Regular Season and a 0-2 start in the Last 16, Cedevita has always been able to fight back until it reached the Finals with a six-game winning streak that the club wants to increase in Treviso. One of its most experienced players is team captain Marino Bazdaric, a sharp shooter ready to step up in crunch time. He proved it by nailing a decisive triple in Game 2 of the Quarterfinals against Asefa Estudiantes that sealed the outcome of the series. Bazdaric has averaged 12.3 points on 44.4% three-point shooting on seven Eurocup games this season - and looks ready to help Cedevita reach even greater heights. As ambitious as his club, Bazdaric hopes to go all the way, as he told us in this Eurocupbasketball.com interview. "At the start of the season, one of our biggest dreams was finding out the way to make it to the Euroleague," Bazdaric told Eurocupbasketball.com. "This is one of the most direct ways to do it."
Hello Marino. First of all, congratulations on Cedevita's outstanding season. How special has it been?
"It has been unbelievable. I think that nobody here - fans, coaches, players - thought that we could make it to the Eurocup Finals. Our first goal right at the start of the season was beating Dynamo Moscow to make it to the competition. It was the only goal we had, actually. After that, we started to play better and better. I would say we had some luck, but we deserve to be here, I think. This is very big not only for us, but also for Croatian basketball."
If someone spoke to you before the Qualifying Round and said that Cedevita would be in the Eurocup Finals, would you have believed him?
"Of course not! Nobody expected us to get this far. Making it to the Eurocup Finals is a dream come true, it is totally unbelievable. Still, the season is not over and we will try to win the title, of course."
Despite early home losses and many injuries, Cedevita has reached the Eurocup Finals. Does that prove you guys are always ready to fight?
"Yes, indeed. We still have big injury problems. Vedran Vukusic is out now with an ankle injury and Corsley Edwards is still sidelined. We have had injury problems throughout the season. Like you said, this team has shown that we never give up. We fight hard until the end of every game. We have managed to win in very difficult courts, which proves that we are always ready to fight."
You will play Unics in the semifinals. What do you think about them?
"Look, I think that Unics has the best chance to win the Eurocup title. They have the best team, with experienced players that are used to playing at this level. They have been in the Eurocup for many years and know how to play it. They have the biggest budget and for a reason, they expect to win the Eurocup and go to the Euroleague next year. I think that the other possible opponents are not as good, but we didn't have the chance to choose. At the same time, we played against them in the Last 16 and managed to beat them in Kazan. We have shown we can play against them and proved that we can challenge one of the best teams in Europe."
Does the fact that you played against them help you to prepare for the semifinal game?
"Truth to be told, when you have played against a team, you have more information. It can be a completely different game, however. We had injury problems in both games and did not play against them with a complete team. The same happened to them in Zagreb and also in Kazan. Both teams, I think, will have a complete roster this time. It is going to be a brand new game and anything is possible."
 This is your first Eurocup season. How do you like the competition?
"It is nice! I was wondering how the Eurocup would be for several years, especially when I was in Menorca. I played four Euroleague seasons and more or less, you always get to play against the same teams, same countries and cities. You get used to that. The Eurocup is completely different. You still play quality basketball, but get to know different cities, new countries. It is a great experience and I have enjoyed it a lot."
Aca Petrovic was recently chosen as the Eurocup Coach of the Year? What do you like the most about playing for him?
"He came to Cedevota a year ago, but I have known him for a long time, even though we had never worked together until he joined the team. Of course, he is a very talented coach that adapts really well to every game and his players. We are a real team with a lot of offensive talent and he is a completely different coach. Most coaches in Europe give a lot of importance to defense. It has been like that for the last 10 years or so. Defense is important for us, of course, but we are an offensive-minded team and coach wants us to play like this. I think it is a well-deserved award."
This is your second season with Cedevita and everyone seems to be happy. What's the secret?
"This is a young club, but at the same time, it is very ambitious. We don't have any money problems, which is great compared to the situation of some other Croatian and European teams. It is a pleasure to play for this team. When I came here two years ago, I didn't know too much about Cedevita and in a way, I was a bit skeptical. Right now, I am really happy, have become the team captain and am proud of everyone in this club."
Last but not least, Cedevita walked a long way to get to the Finals. What would it mean for you all to win the Eurocup title?
"It would be a dream come true. At the start of the season, one of our biggest dreams was finding out the way to make it to the Euroleague. This is one of the most direct ways to do it. Croatian basketball has been a bit down in the last 15 years and winning a European trophy would help, for sure. Ever since the country became independent, no Croatian team made it to the Euroleague Final Four or the Eurocup semifinals. What we have done so far is a big story for Croatian basketball. If we have a chance to win the title, like I said before, it will be a dream come true."
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