Calfani: "We believe in ourselves, in our work and that we can defeat any team"

BUENOS AIRES (DIRECTV Liga de las Americas) - San Lorenzo de Almagro has a rich history in football, which allowed the club to live many important moments. However, in basketball, over the past two years, they seem to be facing novelties with a frantic frequency.

First it was their return to the National League, after three decades of absence. But soon also came the first title, an experience with the NBA and now a new international leap, with the team’s debut in the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas, hosting Group C in Buenos Aires.

And because it is a popular club, with massive support throughout the country, each experience is lived with intensity and repercussion.

The Argentinean champion is confident in its debut against Bucaneros de La Guaira, with the tranquility of the return of the Puerto Rican shooter Guillermo Diaz, but with doubt of the injured Matías Sandes and supported in the experience of man like the Uruguayan center Mathías Calfani, who talked about the reality of the team.

What value do you see in San Lorenzo’s participation in the LDA? What can be expected for the competition?
It is a very important step and it has great value for San Lorenzo, as an institution, to return for international competitions, as well as the return to the first division of the Argentine League and becoming champion. The Liga de las Americas is a very demanding tournament, where you face the best of the continent and we are very anxious for the start of the tournament.

The team seems to be in a good moment? What are the reasons for this good performance?
We are aware that we are in a very tough competition as the Argentine League, which requires you to be at 100% always. We try to do it with maximum efficiency every time we train and go out to play. That we will try to do now in the Liga de las Americas. We have a long team, where we can all add things for the good of the team, but more importantly, we understand that our performance depends on the defensive intensity that we put and pass the ball.

From being champion and the good moment that the team lives in the National League, San Lorenzo is considered as one of the candidates to be in the Final Four. Do you accept that favoritism?
No, we try not to think about that and we do think that we have a great chance for making history for the club. For that we have to make every effort to go step by step, match by match. The first thing is to be among the best of the group to qualify to the Semi-Final Phase. Then we'll think about reaching the Final Four and if we get it, we will think of the title.

What do you think of the qualifying group, along with Capitanes de Arecibo (PUR), Hebraica Macabi (URU) and Bucaneros La Guaira (VEN)?
It is clear that it is the strongest group of the group stage. It will force us not to make many mistakes, because we can pay dearly, against rivals who know how to play and have experience. Our three rivals have great players in their rosters, who have already played many times this type of competition. We know that it will not be easy, but we believe in ourselves, in our work and that we can defeat any team if we defend hard and play as a team, which are our premises.

FIBA