Fenerbahçe captured the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championship Sunday with an 81–70 win over Monaco, led by standout performances from Final Four MVP Nigel Hayes-Davis and head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius, who earned his first title as a coach after a number of shut calls.
Hayes-Davis, who anchored Fenerbahçe’s dominant displaying, mentioned after the sport that visualizing victory all through the season helped put together him for the second, even when the feelings hadn’t absolutely set in but.
“I believed all year, especially last month, we had what it took to win. When you do it over and over, you get numb to it,” he mentioned. “It’s good to see my teammates happy, staff happy, everyone happy. I’m relishing the moment of the entire family being happy.”
Reacting to the lyrics “10% luck, 20% skill” from the tune performed throughout his MVP announcement, Hayes-Davis mentioned: “I disagree with the percentages. In games like this, it’s 90% effort … The first thing that was mentioned [before the game] was if we don’t match or exceed Monaco’s physicality and effort, we won’t have a chance.”
Hayes-Davis additionally praised Fenerbahçe’s depth, crediting bench gamers for contributing key minutes that helped put on down Monaco over 4 quarters.
After the press convention, Hayes-Davis playfully doused Jasikevicius with water, prompting the coach to joke, “That’s the problem with the new generation. They don’t know how to celebrate.”
For Jasikevicius, Sunday’s title marked a breakthrough after 4 earlier Final Four appearances as a coach with out lifting the trophy. The Lithuanian, who additionally received 4 EuroLeague titles as a participant, mirrored on the stress and emotional toll of being repeatedly near victory.
“To get over the hump was difficult,” he mentioned. “The people kind of not understanding the difficulty of achieving this trophy—it’s very difficult. The players matter the most.”
Jasikevicius devoted the championship to his household, particularly his spouse, who he described as “the rock” via years {of professional} and private sacrifices.
“There is no difference in winning the title as a coach or a player,” he added. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world to be a champion.”
He additionally praised Hayes-Davis’ composure in the course of the Final Four, calling his affected person, unforced play “a sign of maturity.”
Jasikevicius singled out Marko Guduric’s efficiency as a game-changer. “Marko is really solid. He understands what we want from him. His drive against Monaco, his shots sealed the championship for us,” he mentioned.
Addressing the challenges of competing on the EuroLeague’s greatest stage, he instructed reporters: “It’s OK to be nervous. Embrace it. Head on. I played 12 Final Fours as a player. As a coach, I’m nervous as hell. Everybody is nervous. It’s OK.”
As for the championship recreation being held in Abu Dhabi, Jasikevicius shrugged off any controversy. “If this title comes on the moon, I’m OK with it,” he mentioned.
Grateful for the chance, Jasikevicius closed by crediting the membership: “I’m so grateful to be a part of Fenerbahçe. I’m honored to be working with the best general manager in European basketball.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com