SRB - Tepic finds a new home

SEVILLE (Liga Endesa/EuroBasket) - Milenko Tepic is on a journey in a very exciting basketball career that has seen him compete with the best players in the world.

That is true both with his country, Serbia, and the club sides he has turned out for.

Having started with Vojvodina in Serbia and then joined a very exciting Partizan Belgrade squad, one that plays in the boisterous Pionir Arena, Tepic left for Greece and spent two seasons with Panathinaikos.

Now the 24-year-old shooting guard is in Spain with Cajasol Banca Civica, who are sixth in the Liga Endesa.

After a slow start, Tepic has begun to come into his own.

In his last two outings, the Serbia international has poured in 20 and 13 points, respectively.

Tepic spoke to FIBA.com.

FIBA: First Serbia, then Greece and now Spain. How are you finding life at Cajasol?
Tepic: I like this very much, although I didn't play as I had expected to from the beginning. I think the games are coming better and better. Cajasol is a great team with a great coach and great players. I think we can do something good and special there this year, better than last. We're in a good way, but the season is very long and we must play better and better from game to game.

FIBA: What about the Liga Endesa? How does it compare to other domestic competitions you have played in?
Tepic: I think it's the best league in Europe right now by far. I never played in the Italian league, for example, but it's better for sure than the Greek and the Adriatic Leagues. There are many teams that can beat each other. You can lose to any team, and capable of beating any team. This is a great league for every player to play in.

FIBA: Looking back at Panathinaikos, you were on an awesome team but that meant less opportunities on the court for you. If you could go back and do it all over again, would you?
Tepic: It was a great experience. I got to play with great players. If I can turn back the clock, I'd do the same thing again. I was there for two years, and although I didn't play as much as I wanted, I had a role in the team and I enjoyed the two years. At this moment, this summer, I felt it was time to change teams to improve my game a little bit, and my position. And I think I did make a great decision.

FIBA: In 2009 and 2010 with Serbia’s national team, nearly everything worked well for the Blues. You had the runners-up finish in Poland at the EuroBasket and came within an eyelash of playing in the FIBA World Championship Final in Turkey. This year, Serbia lost in the Quarter-Finals of the EuroBasket and then failed to achieve a top-six finish that was needed to reach the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Can Serbia bounce back?
Tepic: Of course. It's like that kind of competition. This year, we didn't play as well and we weren't lucky. We lost the two most important games of the championship. Finally, we were not going to the Olympic Games, but I think that can only be more motivation for us to bounce back, to come back, to make it to the next European Championship.

FIBA: Every national team has to deal with injuries but Serbia’s problems came at the absolute worst time. You lost Aleksandar Rasic for the last five games, and you for the last three.
Tepic: Of course. I couldn't play and Rasic - two players at the same position and that was the problem. It's not easy to change the role of other guys in two days. We lost some important games. It was disappointing, but we have to keep our heads up. We have enough quality to again be at the top of Europe.

FIBA: What were your thoughts when you heard Dusan Ivkovic was going to continue as the coach of the national team?
Tepic: It's great decision of the national team for us and I think it can only help us to play better, to have the same coach.

FIBA: What about the draw for EuroBasket 2013? It did not do your team any favors since Serbia are in Group A with Montenegro and Israel, as well as Estonia, Iceland and Slovak Republic? The Montenegrins and Israelis certainly won’t be easy opponents, will they?
Tepic: They will not be, but we believe in ourselves to play well in these difficult games and I hope we'll qualify.

FIBA