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 When the Eurocup season resumes after the winter break, CEZ Baskets Nymburk will be thrust into its most important game of the season at home against Lauretana Biella knowing that a loss will end its hopes for a ticket to the Last 16. One of the players head coach Muli Katzurin will look to guide the team in this must-win contest in forward Petr Benda. Now in his third season with the perennial Czech League champs, Benda has witnessed first-hand the glory of titles with his club and the agony of missing a spot among the best 16 teams in the competition by a single basket – twice. This time around, Benda hopes the club’s talent, experience and famous home-court advantage will help Nymburk reach new heights. In this Eurocupbasketball.com interview, Benda talks about his growth as a player at Nymburk, the excitement of playing in front of packed crowds in the Eurocup and of course, the two must-win games left on the schedule. “The core of the team has played some games like this in the past, even though they had bad endings for us,” Benda said. "I hope we use these past experiences to our advantage and believe in our ability to advance." And he made clear what it would mean to him to accomplish such a feat. "For me, personally, this could be better than participating in the European championship in Spain. Yes, I can safely say that it would be the pinnacle of my career so far."
Hello, Petr. First of all, how has the Eurocup season been for you and CEZ Nymburk thus far?
"After four games we are on pace to reach the target that we set at the start of the season. We have not lost at home, which would have in theory reduced our chances to advance from group. I admit that the first loss in Italy was tough, but at least it was by 1 point only. We have to make up for that game at home. If we can beat Biella by 9 points, we have a good chance to advance and of course that would be a great result for our club."
Nymburk is practically unstoppable at home, with thousands of fans coming from all over the country to see you guys play. How would you explain the basketball atmosphere at your Eurocup home games?
"I can't really explain it. It's a great motivation for all our players. It's hard to describe for me. I feel it, I feed off of it a lot and I need it just as all my teammates do. The core of the fans are our great fans from Nymburk who get the crowd going. The best way is for anyone to come and experience the atmosphere on their own. And that's what I would tell anyone who would like to know about the atmosphere in Pardubice: Please come and see for your yourself. You will not regret the time spent."
As someone who has played his entire career in the Czech Republic, what does it mean for Nymburk to be part of the Eurocup and getting the country's basketball some attention around Europe?
"I think that for a long time there was a need and place for a good cup competition
in the Czech Republic. Thanks to Nymburk we finally have it. Any doubts about how many people would come to watch us in Pardubice were answered in the first season when we set record with 10,400 fans. It shows there is a hunger for good quality basketball in our country. I believe that going to a Eurocup game is a great thing for any basketball fan in the Czech Republic. It's a good feeling for me to know that what fans could watch at home on their TVs with foreign clubs they can now watch live in Pardubice."
 Last season Nymburk did not reach the Last 16 due to a last-second basket by Milan Macvan in the very last regular season game. Is that extra motivation to do even better and make it to the Last 16 this time around?
"For sure. It has been the story actually of our last two seasons when our chance to advance slipped between our fingers in last seconds of the game. We would like to get on the winning side this year. That's been our goal from the beginning. Advancing will give us another chance to bring great basketball to our fans and of course, for us players to have a chance to compete in great games."
This is your third season in Nymburk. Has the chance to play against very good teams in the Eurocup helped you to become an even better player?
"Yes. I firmly believe that the Eurocup has elevated my game. The biggest step was the transfer from Brno to Nymburk, where I became a part of a winning organization. By playing in Nymburk, I found myself in tough games. I would not have had a chance to play in such games anywhere else in the Czech Republic. I believe that at Nymburk we concentrate on every second that we play, both in domestic competition and in the Eurocup. At home we must stay focused and play our basketball even though we are heavy favorites on paper sometimes. In the Eurocup it's mostly an uphill battle or a great
challenge to compete against clubs that have more experience, better preparation from their domestic leagues and one might say more talent on paper."
Earlier this month, Nymburk won its 100th consecutive home game in the Czech League. That kind of dominance is rare in basketball today. How has Nymburk been able to do it?
"We have achieved that by being at the top of the Czech League for the last five or six years. Nymburk has had a very strong team for the whole period mentioned and it is tough for other teams to compete with us, especially in Nymburk. Of course I must admit that there have been some lucky breaks along the way to keep the streak going."
Let's look at your group. Your one-point loss at Biella in the opening game hurt for sure. Going into a do-or-die Game 5, what does your team's mindset need to be in the rematch against them?
 "It is the most important game for us this season, but so were the home games against Ventspils and Bamberg. We needed a win in those games to stay alive as well. The result of the game against Biella will immediately tell us whether we stay or leave the competition. The core of the team has played some games like this in the past, even though they had bad endings for us. I hope we use these past experiences to our advantage and believe in our ability to advance. Our concentration will be the same like in any other Eurocup game. We can't afford any lapses in concentration for any period of time in the Eurocup. Our down minutes have proven very difficult for us to make
up for against high quality teams in the Eurocup."
No doubt it's a plus to play at home, but are you happy that there's a two-week break, with both teams getting a lot of rest, before this key game?
"I don't mind at all. I am happy to get the rest. The most important aspect for me personally is the mental break from basketball. The season is very long for me as national team player and I treasure any breaks from the daily routines of the season and for time I can spend with my family. All players have their own individual plans for during the break to keep us in good physical shape. But mental freshness is the key aspect that hopefully we will gain from the break."
Even after winning that game, Nymburk might need help to make the next round. What would it mean for you and the club to reach the Last 16 for the first time in club history?
"It would mean nothing less than best Czech club result ever. For me, personally, this could be better than participating in the European championship in Spain. Yes, I can safely say that it would be the pinnacle of my career so far."
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Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Javier Gancedo, Eurocupbasketball.com
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