Marko Jaric, Montepaschi Siena
by:
Javier Gancedo, Euroleague.net
May 4, 2011
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 Few players get to chance win Euroleague titles a decade apart, but Montepaschi Siena veteran Marko Jaric will try just that at the 2011 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four in Barcelona this weekend. Since signing with Siena at midseason, the 32-year-old combo guard has adjusted admirably to his new teammates and role, emerging as one of Siena’s steadiest performers at just the right time. Jaric averaged 18 points in Siena's last two victories over Olympiacos, earning the Sportingbet MVP honor for Game 3 of the playoffs. Having already won the Euroleague in 2001 with Virtus Bologna, Jaric now hopes to add to his trophy case by conquering his second Euroleague title in his third Final Four appearance. All his experience tells Jaric that his new team has what it takes to think big when the ball goes up for Siena's semifinal showdown with Panathinaikos at Palau Sant Jordi on Friday. "This is a special team with great players and great chemistry," Jaric told Euroleague.net. "The result is where we are right now. I’m sure that to be successful, you need that chemistry, and we definitely have it."
Hello, Marko. How does it feel to be going to the Final Four again?
“Part of the reason I decided to come back from the NBA to Europe was to play at the highest level of competition and hopefully win another European title before my career is over, so now that I’m back at another Final Four, I’m very excited as well as focused. It’s already a big achievement, and I hope we come away as European champions.”
Your last Final Four was in 2002 with Kinder, your first with Fortitudo in 1999. What do you remember about those Final Fours?
“It was a great experience, but I was young. Having a lot of success playing In the European Championships and going to two Final Fours, I did not fully appreciate the achievement, as it was still early in my career. Now that I am older, I realize that reaching the Final Four is not that easy. It is definitely a big achievement.”
What was it like for you joining Siena in midseason this year and then being a big part of the team's Final Four push?
“That is why I changed teams, because it was a great challenge for me and I was hoping I could to contribute with my experience to try to achieve a bigger goal. This is a special team with great players and great chemistry. The result is where we are right now. I’m sure that to be successful, you need that chemistry, and we definitely have it.”
After losing the first playoff game to Olympiacos by 48 points, what changed for Siena?
“That was one of the toughest moments of my career. Thankfully, we had to play just two days later and we were able to bounce right back. If it would have been a regular season game, we would have had to endure a week of hell. It was a very difficult loss and we knew the only way people would forget about it was by winning against Olympiacos in that series. “
Everybody noticed how intense you were then, with the season on the line. What inspired you at that moment?
“Nothing particularly inspired me. It was just a matter of time before I started feeling more comfortable and the team had a great deal of patience waiting for me to get into shape, as I started playing my favorite position at point guard. I finally got my legs back against Olympiacos and they started following my brain. I felt a lot stronger and things started getting better. The first part of the season was like training camp for me and everything just came together at the right time.”
You will face Panathinaikos in the semifinals. It will be a battle between two experienced teams. What small details can be decisive against the Greens?
“We both have great basketball talent, great players and a great coaching staff. Maybe they are just a bit more experienced than us, but it is definitely going to come down to the details: Are we going to give up when we are down 5-10 points under pressure or are we going to stay together and bounce back? There are no more games after this and we need to keep focused for 40 minutes and take care of the little things: grab the extra rebound, make the extra steal, the extra assist, make your simple shots, convert your free throws…”
 Limiting Dimitris Diamantidis is a key challenge for Siena's backcourt. What are his strongest points and what can you guys do to stop him?
“He is definitely their greatest player, no doubt. He had a big series against Barcelona and we need to stop him. But more than that, we need to make sure that another player that seems less important does not have the biggest game of his career and hurt us. Normally, in games like this, somebody pops up whom nobody was counting on.”
You played for Real Madrid last season. How happy are you to see your former teammates at the Final Four?
“I’m very happy for them, they deserve it after so many years, and they are a great group of guys that try hard. I’m just hoping they end up behind us.”
What are the main differences that have you seen in the Euroleague since you started playing in the competition so many years ago?
“It really is pretty much the same. The real difference is in the domestic leagues, which are less attractive and strong now. Back in the day, I remember the Greek, Italian and Spanish Leagues were a lot stronger and teams had to play European games and local games at almost the same level of intensity. Now, a lot more teams can afford to put more focus in the Euroleague. I don’t like the situation in some leagues, where 70-point blowouts happen. Nobody wants to see that as a player or a fan of basketball.”
You surely know it's the 10-year anniversary of Kinder winning the Euroleague. What would it mean for you to win a second Euroleague title a decade later?
“It would mean a lot to me, 10 years later as a veteran player, and especially for my family, which has supported me in my stubborn need to get another Euroleague title.”
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