CZE - From novice to leader

BILBAO (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) – It was there for all to see this past summer.

A 20-year-old Tomás Satoransky blossomed for a Czech Republic national team that reached the EuroBasket for the first time since 2007.

Playing big minutes for Pavel Budinsky’s side, the 2.01m guard turned in one solid performance after another as the Czechs won enough games to qualify for next year’s Final Round in Slovenia.

He ended up averaging a solid 9.8 points, 4.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds.

The experience with the Czechs further emboldened a player who was selected with the 32nd pick overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.

Now back in Spain’s Liga Endesa and in his fourth season with Cajasol Sevilla, Satoransky is doing everything he can to help the club in its fight to avoid relegation.

On Sunday, Satoransky poured in a season-high 18 points and had arguably the finest game of his young career in a boisterous Bilbao Arena as Cajasol beat the home team Bilbao Basket 79-76.

Satoransky, coach Aíto Garcia Reneses believed, would be able to create his own shot and score at the end to force overtime.

The Prague native did even better.

Satoransky dribbled several seconds off the clock before making his move.

The 2.01m point guard got his defender off balance, spun into the lane and made an extremely difficult, left-handed lay-up over Axel Hervelle with just six seconds to play.

Belgium international Hervelle fouled Satoransky, and he sank the free-throw for a go-ahead three-point play.

Cajasol held on for just their second win of the campaign.

Satoranksy has gone from novice to leader in Seville.

He had talked about this in a recent interview with the Diario de Sevilla.

"I think for me it was time to take a larger role," he said.

"I have no fear.

“On the contrary, I like having that pressure and feel I can do great things for the club.

"The difference from previous years is also the obvious progression and improvement that comes with time.

“I (also) have more freedom on the court. Now if I fail, I know I have another chance. Before, there were 11 players ahead of me and a mistake could lead to the coach benching me. So I can do more."

Aíto is singing his praises.

"Satoransky,” he said after Sunday’s win in Bilbao, “we were taking him to an exhausting situation because he'd played point guard for nearly 38 minutes.

"He's playing very well and he generally has the security to be one of the important men in the team."

It remains to be seen if Satoransky will be able to help the Czechs at the EuroBasket because he may have to cross the Atlantic and try to earn an NBA contract with the Wizards.

If he does travel to Slovenia, he’ll have to be at his best for his national team to survive a difficult Group C that also has Spain, Georgia, Croatia, Poland and the Slovenians.

FIBA