Quarterfinal analyst: Matt Nielsen, Pamesa Valencia
|
 One of the great exports from Down Under to European basketball, all-purpose Australian forward Matt Nielsen will assume major responsibility when Pamesa Valencia takes on Khimki Moscow Region in the quarterfinals. Having arrived just before the Eurocup started from another Final Eight club, Lietuvos Rytas, to join his former head coach, Neven Spahija, Nielsen stepped into a huge role he filled it without missing a beat. Now, he's fully conscious that a big opportunity awaits him and his new team in Turin. "This is not your average game," Nielsen told Eurocupbasketball.com.
You had the Final Eight marked on your calendar before the season, but are going now in a different jersey. How strange will it be strange to run into Lietuvos Rytas in Turin?
"Definitely it'll be strange. I was there such a long time, so to see them in the same place going for the same goal will be strange at first. But it's part of my job and I'll get used to it quickly. We wouldn't meet until the final, and if given the chance, I'd accept that possibility right now. You play against people you know throughout your career, and when it's a game played at the level of importance that these will be, you just put friendship and everything else aside for 40 minutes."
Pamesa matched the best record this season to get to Turin. In what sort of mood and condition is the team in before the next big test in the Final Eight?
"I think we're good. Obviously, our last game at Hemofarm was a different one. But we're already talking about going against Khimki, and we're excited and ready to go. Obviously, we're playing one of the higher-ranked teams in the Final Eight, but we realize that we would have to beat those kinds of teams to win the title anyway. We just have to do it a little earlier, in the quarterfinals. I am excited myself, too. For me, even though I have been in games that were important before, to play at this kind of level, in a game of this size, is pretty exciting. To do so with teammates like Shammond and the others who have more experience than I do in big-time games of this level makes me feel comfortable, too."
What do you know about your quarterfinal opponents from Khimki Moscow Region?
"Obviously, playing internationally for Australia I have gone against Garbajosa, Delfino and other players on their team. Now they have Sergio Scariolo, the new Spanish national team coach, so that makes them interesting as well. I played against his Unicaja teams a couple times, so I know what a competitor he is. They are starting to find a bit of rhythm under him and they, too, have guys who know how to play in big games. That's something important about them, and we need to understand that. This is not your average game. We have to focus and come out ready play. They have that experience and I'm sure that we will step up that night as well."
Pamesa has young star Victor Claver back from injury now. How important can he be against a deep and talented team like Khimki?
"I think he's a really big bonus for us because we have played decently without him most of this season. We know we can play without him, but he's so much of a talent and give so many things to the team, that adding him now can only help us. Everything extra he gives us is a blessing going into the Final Eight."
What does Pamesa need to do to make it past Khimki in the quarterfinals?
"To be honest, it's about us finding a good rhythm offensively. Defensively, we've been pretty strong throughout the season in both competitions we play in. For us, it's definitely about coming out and understanding that we don't have to force too much, but just find a good rhythm offensively as quick as possible and get everyone involved. Since even before this season, when I played under Neven Spahija at Lietuvos Rytas, we always had six or seven guys scoring in double figures or close to it. We have the talent to do the same here, and being able to get in that offensive flow will be a big part of whether we win or lose the game, I think."
|
|
Eurocupbasketball.com
|
 Print Send Share
|