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The keys of the match, Belinelli’s extraordinary season, the way to play at this stage of the season, F4 prediction. We talked with Baskonia player Matt Costello.
Baskonia is going to face Virtus in Bolonia in a crucial game of the last round of the regular season. The team who will win the game is going to get the 8th place in the standing, gaining the possibility to play at least two games in the play-in and one of them at home for sure. The team who will lose the game is going to land in the 10th place. Efes, after the win against Red Star, is sure to be on the 9th spot.
So Virtus-Baskonia already looks like a play-in game, as coach Luca Banchi said in the pre-game conference. Virtus comes from six consecutive losses in EuroLeague, while Baskonia from a big win in Madrid. The Segafredo Arena, still sold-out, will be a huge factor for sure: only Real Madrid, Monaco and Panathinaikos succeded to get the win in Virtus court. Baskonia will push as much as it can to try to get the 8th spot.
Thanks to Baskonia and its organization, we had the luck to talk with Matt Costello the day before the game. We stayed close to the topics of the game, talking about what kind of game it’s likely we are going to see, the extraordinary season of Belinelli, the divine moment of Markus Howard and then the prediction of the Final Four. Here the conversation we had.
Tomorrow you’re going to play a crucial game. How much does it weigh for the possibilities to gain a spot for the playoffs?
“I think it’s huge. I dont’ know Virtus exactly where thay can end up if they loose, but for us, if we loose, it’s tenth position. Having two chances, also one at home, it’s huge for trying to make the playoffs“.
Virtus likes to run the court, but Baskonia plays with a higher pace. Do you think Virtus will try to slow down the rhythm and avoid your transition? How do you feel the game?
“Like you said, Virtus is been running a lot as well, not as fast as us, but I think that at this point of the season everybody tries to go with what his strenght is. I think they won’t intentionally slow down the game, but they will just try to be solid“.
Virtus has two point forwards that are former Baskonia players: Toko Shengelia and Achille Polonara. Their features and skills are very different. How do you think will be the clash against them?
“I think it will be a big part of the game. Toko was in the MVP race at the beginning of the season. His ability in the post to facilitate, pass the ball and score is going to be a big problem for us. Achi brings so much energy in the game, he’s good in spread the floor, cut and slash: we have to do our best to contain him as well“.
When a team faces Virtus, the main problem to solve is how to defend on Belinelli. Coach Messina said that, in some moments, it’s almost impossible to defend on him. By the way, in Vitoria this season he scored 27 points! How do you rate his season?
“Really high. It’s fun to watch – of course not against us! -, now it’s kind of a revival of his career. Just how well is able to score the ball. Messina said the best: you can try everything you want, but sometimes he just finds the way to put the ball in the basket. We have some sort of plans to try to stop him, but at the end of the day we’ll se if the ball will go in or not“
And talking about tremendous shooters … your teammate, Markus Howard, is in God-mode in the last weeks. How much his aggressiveness and his efficiency from the arch change the spacing and create more possibilities to score and play better for all the team?
“He’s playing very very well. Defense sends two or even tre guys trying to stop him. That opens everything up for us. I know from me; being someone who does not create for himself, I need some help; so I’m very thankful when Markus draws all that attention, so I can get a good shot“.
In the game you played against Virtus in December, they shot almost 50% from the arch and they dished 26 assists. At that time, they were at the peak of their season, but we must consider that Matt Costello didn’t play that game (he smiles, ed.). Now Virtus is in a deep crisis in EuroLeague, while Baskonia comes from a huge win in Madrid. Do you think is this the best moment to try to win this game in such a difficult arena?
“It gives us better chances, but they are the same players. Maybe the rhythm is off a little bit, but that can change so quickly. We lost three EuroLeague games in which I think we were favourite to win against Partizan, Zalgiris and Efes, and after that we won in Madrid. A team can be in great and bad moments at any time, so we have to be prepared for them to come and play their best basketball tomorrow and try to stop them doing that“.
Final question. Your F4 prediction?
“Real Madrid, us, Monaco and Panathinaikos“.
Thanks Matt, it’s been great talking with you!
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