Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv partied until dawn after qualifying for the Euroleague Final Four. David Blatt: “We talked about the Maccabi Tel Aviv spirit, which is always alive. It shows on the outside and in the heart.”
By Amy Samin
Head coach of Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv David Blatt said after Game 4 against Armani Milan: “We talked about the Maccabi spirit, and it was that spirit that was victorious. We beat a great team by 20 points in our most important game of the season. Our critics had us wandering in the desert with no way back, but we decided to block out all the noise and keep our eyes on the prize.”
“After we lost to Nes Ziona early in the Israeli League season, I told the guys in the locker room that we would make it to the Final Four. I believed in my players, and I still believe in them. Qualifying for the Final Four is a huge thing. It was one of our main goals, and it’s a tremendous accomplishment for Maccabi Tel Aviv. This is a new team, one without any major stars, but it is made up of guys who do their jobs when they should, and the way they should. I am so proud of them.”
“I don’t care what the media thinks of the work I do. I don’t hold a grudge against anyone. I want to be an example of something else. All year long, time after time, I told the guys that I really believe in them, because I could see that we have all of the pieces and that we can go as far as we want to go. We’re coming into this Final Four as an underdog in all respects, budget-wise and in terms of experience. And yet, this year we’ve proven that we can beat any team. In one game we can stand up to anyone.”
Team captain Guy Pnini said: “Raise the trophy? It’s always in my dreams, but we still have a long way to go. First of all, I want to enjoy this wonderful accomplishment. We’ve done something amazing. Six or seven months ago, after we lost to Nes Ziona in the Israeli League, we sat in the locker room, devastated. No one gave us a chance of succeeding. It’s all about character and hard work.”
David Blu: “It’s a great feeling. Maccabi is going back to the Final Four where we belong. I’m very happy. This is why we love this game. We’re going back to the place we’ve been talking about all year. I’ve been to the Final Four three times, and won once. That’s what I want more than anything.”
“We’re in the Final Four, and it’s a great feeling,” said Tyrese Rice after the game. “It’s my first Final Four, and it’s a feeling I’ve never had before. It’s amazing. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs this season. We’ve seen it all, done it all. We’ve had to fight for everything. Nothing’s going to surprise us.”
Yogev Ohayon, who also celebrated his birthday after the game, added: “It’s been a crazy season. People trashed us, as if we were going to go down to the second division in the Israeli League, and had been kicked out of the Euroleague. But we stayed strong. These players deserve to be saluted, and the coaches, too. We knew at halftime that we needed to come back sharper and we simply blew them out. We’re aiming high, but it’s not going to be easy at all.”
Team manager Nikola Vuj?i? talked about his feelings: “I was excited, then I went back to being depressed, and then I felt great joy. It’s amazing. I really believed that this team could do great things. It was a difficult season, just like this game. There were many ups and downs, but the coach and these players should get a lot of credit for their great faith and hard work. I’ve seen it all in Maccabi as both a player and a manager, and what is most important is the belief that anything is possible. We can do great things. Now the pressure is on teams like Real Madrid and CSKA. We showed a lot of character this season, and you should not underestimate us.”
Devin Smith said: “It’s a great feeling. We’ve worked for this all season long. We’ve been through some difficulties, but the goals never changed. We believed in ourselves and we’ve gotten to where we wanted to be. I’m still struggling physically, but the desire never changes. I’ll keep fighting and doing everything I can to help the team win. It’s not easy, and it’s frustrating to be limited, but I enjoy it here. I don’t take a single day for granted. You never know when your last game will be, so I appreciate each day. Management and the coaches believed in us all along, and made us believe in ourselves.”
Sofoklis Schortsanitis said: “The opening was difficult, and there were difficulties along the way, but everyone stepped up: players, coaches and management. What can I say? It’s fun to be a part of this team. We were a little stressed, but everyone showed a lot of character and a big heart. Everyone knew to step up at the right moment. I love all of these guys like brothers. Anything can happen in one game, and we have a chance to do something great in the Final Four. The big achievement is to get there, and we showed everyone that we are a great team. What will happen there? We’ll have to wait and see.”
