LTU - Healthy Pocius counts his blessings

MADRID (Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - Injuries are a part of every basketball player's life.

Young or old, good or bad, man or woman - every player will at some point feel the bite of the injury bug.

Martynas Pocius has been hurt before.

One of Lithuania's national team players, the 25-year-old Pocius had two ankle surgeries during his days as a wing at Duke University, where he played for Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski.

In his two years before Duke at the Holderness School in Plymouth, New Hampshire, Pocius had been a player who, as the saying goes, could jump out of the gym.

The ankle injuries came at a very bad time as Pocius was trying to establish himself in a powerhouse Duke squad.

So when Pocius says he feels terrible for injured Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves, it's genuine.

Rubio tore the ACL in his left knee on Friday and is facing at least six months on the sidelines.

Adding to the disappointment for Rubio is the crushing blow that he will miss the London Games with Spain's national side.

Pocius, now a player with Real Madrid in Spain, said to FIBA.com: "Yes, I feel really bad for him and I think every basketball player does, too.

"He's been playing so well in the league in his first year.

"You know, it's kind of scary because you think, 'That could happen to any one of us.'

"So I know I'm fortunate, knock on wood, that I have no injuries and let's hope it stays that way."

Pocius overcame his ankle operations to become a hit in Europe.

He spent two years with Zalgiris Kaunas and last summer signed with Real Madrid.

Pocius has enhanced his reputation by not only making his country's senior national team, but by becoming one of the most reliable players in Kestutis Kemzura's squad.

He was a big part of the bronze-medal winning Lithuania side at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey and last summer, Pocius competed in front of the home fans in Panevezys, Vilnius and Kaunas at EuroBasket 2011.

The Lithuanians rebounded from a poor EuroBasket 2009 by reaching the podium in Istanbul, and they wanted a top-three finish again.

FYROM surprised them in the Quarter-Finals, though, edging them, 67-65.

Kestutis Kemzura's squad salvaged its EuroBasket by clinching fifth place to earn a trip to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caracas, Venezuela, but the players left the event with a bitter taste.

Several months on and Pocius says it's important to look forward and not back.

"We have to leave that in the past because if we play with that, it wouldn't be good," he said.

"We've got to redeem this summer.

"We've been kind of doing one year playing really well and other years, disappointment.

"So hopefully, this will be once again our up year."

In Caracas (2-8 July), Pocius and his teammates will face Nigeria and Venezuela in Group B, with a potential Quarter-Final against Greece, Jordan or Puerto Rico.

Should the Lithuanians advance from the quarters, then a victory in the Semi-Final would punch their ticket to London.

The losers of the Semi-Finals will play for the third and last ticket at the OQT for the London Games.

"It's going to be a tough summer," Pocius said.

"Our focus right now is the first two games in the group and then two more games in the play-offs.

"We've got to get past that.

"We can't think about London right now.

"It's all about Venezuela, so we'll see."

Pocius has many more battles to fight before then with Real Madrid.

The club is among the deepest and most talented in Europe and recently defeated Barcelona to win the Copa del Rey.

Yet every team desperately wants to beat Madrid because to do so is to claim a famous scalp.

Valencia Basket won decisively against Madrid on Sunday night, 83-66.

Pocius says his move to the Spanish capital has been a good one.

"Absolutely," he said.

"There are a lot of factors but yes, overall I'm really happy.

"Not just because of the city, the food and whatever, but I love the team atmosphere.

"Everybody and everything is great."

As far as his performances, Pocius is averaging 18 minutes per game in the Liga Endesa, shooting 50% (27 of 54) inside the arc and 38% (20 of 52).

He is pouring seven points per contest.

Pocius has had some very good games in Spain, and the Euroleague.

"I'd like to play even better," he said.

"For me, it took a while to get used to the intensity of the ACB (Liga Endesa).

"It's been kind of up and down and I'd like to be more consistent but overall, I'm really happy."


FIBA