Last 16 Player Analysis: Akasvayu Girona - Hemofarm Stada
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Akasvayu Girona vs. Hemofarm Stada
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Ivan Radenovic, Akasvayu Girona
 In his debut ULEB Cup season, Akasvayu Girona forward Ivan Radenovic chose the right time to put together his best games. In the Last 32 series against Elan Chalon, Radenovic came off the bench with his two biggest scoring games as Akasvayu vaulted within reach of the Final Eight in what is also the club's debut ULEB Cup season. Radenovic more than tripled his regular season output by averaging 13 points in the first elimination round on 75% two-point shooting. His performance was a big reason Akasvayu was able to come from behind to oust Chalon. Now, Radenovic is looking to play an even bigger role as his club challenges Hemofarm Stada from his native Serbia for a spot in the Final Eight. And now that everyone knows how talented he truly is, no one will be surprised if Radenovic carries Akasvayu to new heights. "It took me some time for me to adjust from college basketball to a top European competition. I think I adjusted very well and showed what I can do. I played very well against Chalon and I hope I can keep playing that well in the future. Hemofarm Stada is one of the best teams in that area, a top Serbian team with great individuals. It is one of the teams trying to win the Adriatic League championship. We have played against them twice this season. Both teams know each other and the team that is more focused and wants it more will win the series." 
"Since we played twice already this year, that helps us, but also Hemofarm, too. We know each other very well so I don't expect many surprises in any of the games. I usually prefer to play the first leg on the road, because that allows us to play the second leg at home. For instance, we played really bad in the first leg against Chalon in the Last 32 round out there. We played much better at home and managed to advance. That loss in the first leg was like a wake-up call to us. Hemofarm will definitely have to play a good game in Vrsac, because we are playing very well at home."
"Being the favorite team is not a bad thing. If you want to be the best team, you have to beat everybody anyway. We are facing now a two-game round and we have to beat Hemofarm first, but I believe we can go deep into the Final Eight. We are a good team, but there are other good teams that can really play. As long as we keep playing the way we have, we can go deep in the competition and surprise everybody." |
Vladan Vukosavljevic, Hemofarm Stada
 When you look at the BC Hemofarm Stada frontline, center Vladan Vukosavljevic stands out as the heart of the team's interior attack. Just 23 years old, Vukosavljevic is about to play in his 50th ULEB Cup game, an achievement only seven other players in the competition's history have matched. Despite his age, Vukosavljevic has always been a solid contributor on competitive Hemofarm teams. He already has one semifinals appearance under his belt and is now looking for more of the same. Vukosavljevic is Hemofarm's anchor in the paint. He rans second on Hemofarm in scoring (14.1 ppg.), leads his team in rebounds (5.2 rpg.) and fouls drawn (4.5) and his 68 free throws attempted are tied for fifth most among all ULEB Cup players this season. With those numbers backing him up, look for Vukosavljevic to have a big impact in the Last 16 series against Akasvayu. "I think we have already had a successful season. Our goal was to pass from the first phase and play in the second, as Hemofarm has done in the previous two years. This is kind of our tradition. By beating Buducnost, we fulfilled the plan, but we are ready to go on. This season our team is much younger with players like Markovic, Macvan and Marjanovic, who are big projects. Each ULEB Cup game is precious experience to all of us. I believe that our experience will not finish after two games against Akasvayu." 
"After playing Akasvayu twice this season, we know each other well. And there is no space for philosophy. We are aware where we made mistakes in our first clash in Girona. Our defense was weak. We had many turnovers, allowing Akasvayu players a lot of fastbreaks. But in the second game in Vrsac, we showed that the two teams are almost equal. We beat them because we were more concentrated. That must be the way to final success. I am sure nuances shall decide the winner. We all have a lot of respect for Akasvayu. The team is competing in the Spanish ACB League, which, in my opinion, is the strongest one in Europe. There is no man there who is the most dangerous. They are all great players."
"I would say it is something of importance to play the second game on the road. A lot of teams come to Vrsac without pressure knowing that there is a chance to make up the deficit in front of their fans. But few do. It is true that the second game at home is huge bonus, but we showed against Buducnost that all the calculations could fall down. But we won't forget that Akasvayu is not Buducnost. Anyway I expect two dramatic games and nice basketball to watch." |
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Wednesday, February 27, 2008
ULEBCup.com
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