FIBA Basketball
SCG - Former split duo set to shine
PRAGUE (Euroleague) - Velimir Perasovic could make history this week if he steers Tau Ceramica to Euroleague glory in Prague. But so can Tau's former coach, Dusko Ivanovic, who left the Basque club at the end of last
PRAGUE (Euroleague) - Velimir Perasovic could make history this week if he steers Tau Ceramica to Euroleague glory in Prague.
But so can Tau's former coach, Dusko Ivanovic, who left the Basque club at the end of last season and took the helm of their Spanish rivals Winterthur Barcelona.
Both Perasovic and Ivanovic have their sides in the Final Four at the Saska Arena.
And both, beginning in 1989, won the Euroleague crowns three times on the trot as team-mates with Jugoplastika Split, a team that included Croatian great Toni Kukoc.
"I think that generation at Split was unforgettable," Perasovic said.
"Everybody remembers those teams because we were young then, we had a hunger for victories and we played great basketball at the highest level.
"We reached the Final Four three straight times and won all of them."
However, Ivanovic doesn't care about the past.
"I am not a nostalgic person," Ivanovic said of Jugoplastika. "I do not like to look at the past.
"Each team like Split 15 years ago and Maccabi's current team have had their moments and should not be compared."
Ivanovic is willing to look back at his time at Tau, a side he turned into one of the giants of Europe the past few years.
Known for having incredibly tough practices, he played a big part in the development of Luis Scola, Tau's Argentinian superstar power forward who could walk into the starting lineup of any NBA team.
Scola will lead Argentina at the FIBA World Championship later this year in Japan.
"I'm extremely proud that Tau have reached the Final Four," Ivanovic said.
"To qualify for the Final Four is always a great result. Tau signed very good players and knowing the club, the organisation and their fans, I'm not surprised they have made it all the way to Prague.
"However, I am more concerned about my own team."
Should Tau beat Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Barcelona defeat CSKA Moscow, there will be an all-Spanish final.
Tau must fancy their chances against Maccabi with Scola and his Argentina national team cohort, Pablo Prigioni, and Turkish scoring sensation Serkan Erdogan in their line-up.
Emerging Brazilian star Tiago Splitter, Americans Casey Jacobsen and Travis Hansen and Croatian Roko-Leni Ukic who, by the way, also once played for Split, also play significant roles for the Basque outfit.
Tau showed their grit when they beat Panathinaikos in a Game Three quarter-final decider before a soldout Olympic Arena in Athens. Pana, at that point, were the hottest team in Europe.
"No one should be surprised that Tau are in the Final Four," Perasovic said.
"This club has proved in the last four or five years that it has the qualities to fight for every title, whether it's the Final Four, the ACB League or the Spanish Cup."
Perasovic says he takes it one step at a time in coaching. He took the reins at Tau when the club decided Pedro Martinez, Ivanovic's replacement, was not going to get them to Prague.
Under Perasovic, and despite the loss of guards Arvydas Macijauskas and Jose Manuel Calderon to the NBA last summer, Tau have looked just as good if not better.
They have already won the Copa del Rey, beating Pamesa Valencia in the final.
"Since my arrival at Tau, I've always avoided looking ahead. I'd rather concentrate on the next game," Perasovic said.
"However, having seen how things have gone for us in the Euroleague, I am aware that we are capable of anything. We have a great opportunity ahead of us, as long as we play well."
Perasovic has a couple of very good reasons to beat Maccabi.
If the Israeli giants go on to win the competition, they will equal Split's record of three titles in a row.
Maccabi also beat Tau in last year's Final.
"We will be very motivated, and not only because they beat us last year. As a competitor, you always want to achieve the maximum every season.
"To win the the Euroleague title is the biggest dream of any European player and those who arrive to Europe to play. Personally, I do have the added motivation of not allowing Maccabi to equal the record by Split.
"Our biggest challenge is to try and win against a great team.
"The only thing that can give Maccabi the edge in comparison to the other three teams is their experience. They have been here before."
From Jeff Taylor, PA Sport, Prague, Exclusively for FIBA
But so can Tau's former coach, Dusko Ivanovic, who left the Basque club at the end of last season and took the helm of their Spanish rivals Winterthur Barcelona.
Both Perasovic and Ivanovic have their sides in the Final Four at the Saska Arena.
And both, beginning in 1989, won the Euroleague crowns three times on the trot as team-mates with Jugoplastika Split, a team that included Croatian great Toni Kukoc.
"I think that generation at Split was unforgettable," Perasovic said.
"Everybody remembers those teams because we were young then, we had a hunger for victories and we played great basketball at the highest level.
"We reached the Final Four three straight times and won all of them."
However, Ivanovic doesn't care about the past.
"I am not a nostalgic person," Ivanovic said of Jugoplastika. "I do not like to look at the past.
"Each team like Split 15 years ago and Maccabi's current team have had their moments and should not be compared."
Ivanovic is willing to look back at his time at Tau, a side he turned into one of the giants of Europe the past few years.
Known for having incredibly tough practices, he played a big part in the development of Luis Scola, Tau's Argentinian superstar power forward who could walk into the starting lineup of any NBA team.
Scola will lead Argentina at the FIBA World Championship later this year in Japan.
"I'm extremely proud that Tau have reached the Final Four," Ivanovic said.
"To qualify for the Final Four is always a great result. Tau signed very good players and knowing the club, the organisation and their fans, I'm not surprised they have made it all the way to Prague.
"However, I am more concerned about my own team."
Should Tau beat Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Barcelona defeat CSKA Moscow, there will be an all-Spanish final.
Tau must fancy their chances against Maccabi with Scola and his Argentina national team cohort, Pablo Prigioni, and Turkish scoring sensation Serkan Erdogan in their line-up.
Emerging Brazilian star Tiago Splitter, Americans Casey Jacobsen and Travis Hansen and Croatian Roko-Leni Ukic who, by the way, also once played for Split, also play significant roles for the Basque outfit.
Tau showed their grit when they beat Panathinaikos in a Game Three quarter-final decider before a soldout Olympic Arena in Athens. Pana, at that point, were the hottest team in Europe.
"No one should be surprised that Tau are in the Final Four," Perasovic said.
"This club has proved in the last four or five years that it has the qualities to fight for every title, whether it's the Final Four, the ACB League or the Spanish Cup."
Perasovic says he takes it one step at a time in coaching. He took the reins at Tau when the club decided Pedro Martinez, Ivanovic's replacement, was not going to get them to Prague.
Under Perasovic, and despite the loss of guards Arvydas Macijauskas and Jose Manuel Calderon to the NBA last summer, Tau have looked just as good if not better.
They have already won the Copa del Rey, beating Pamesa Valencia in the final.
"Since my arrival at Tau, I've always avoided looking ahead. I'd rather concentrate on the next game," Perasovic said.
"However, having seen how things have gone for us in the Euroleague, I am aware that we are capable of anything. We have a great opportunity ahead of us, as long as we play well."
Perasovic has a couple of very good reasons to beat Maccabi.
If the Israeli giants go on to win the competition, they will equal Split's record of three titles in a row.
Maccabi also beat Tau in last year's Final.
"We will be very motivated, and not only because they beat us last year. As a competitor, you always want to achieve the maximum every season.
"To win the the Euroleague title is the biggest dream of any European player and those who arrive to Europe to play. Personally, I do have the added motivation of not allowing Maccabi to equal the record by Split.
"Our biggest challenge is to try and win against a great team.
"The only thing that can give Maccabi the edge in comparison to the other three teams is their experience. They have been here before."
From Jeff Taylor, PA Sport, Prague, Exclusively for FIBA