Sarunas Jasikevicius celebrated his third title as a player of Panathinaikos, expressive as always. One day later he confesses that he feels more bonded to the team, revealing what he was telling to Diamantidis during the final of the Greek Cup.
“It’s only normal to feel happy about what we accomplished by winning one more title. And I thank God for this. We are aiming to three titles though and what we want is to keep taking care of our job. It was not the best possible game, we understand this, it’s normal. You get nervous; there is always tension for both teams in a final, while our opponent is a team with very good players. They are preparing the game, they try to be ready, and they did try to make our life a little bit harder”.
Titles are nothing new to the Lithuanian guard, but it’s something that doesn’t reduce the tension he experienced during the game: “It’s very simple. Winning is the only thing there is in sports. We have a bunch of great guys in the team, every single guy is nice and we all want to win. When moments like the ones we lived yesterday, you understand why you keep playing. It’s the essence of what we do. I don’t feel full. I still want titles. I have the motivation needed each time I step on the floor to play this game and I hope that I will continue feel like this for a long time. Titles, this kind of games is the reason we play basketball. We understand what these games mean. In this business we are as good as the titles we have conquered. Maybe that’s the bad part of our job, but it’s the reality; and in Panathinaikos they all understand the meaning of getting to a title. That’s why we are in this team”.
“I love this team”
Saras proved once more his special connection with the fans of Panathinaikos. What he had to say was yet another statement of honesty: “I feel I am bonding to the team more and more each day; For me it feels stupid to start kissing the jersey of the team one day after you have signed your contract. Relations are being built with time. Now, in my second year here, I feel like a real member of a big team. I love this team more and more each day, I appreciate every day what everybody in this team is doing for me, what the Yannakopoulos brothers have done for me. It’s tough for anybody to be suddenly a part of such a great team. I love Panathinaikos more every day, because I simply get to know the people in the team better: The players, the coaches, everybody who is next and around this team, I know them now, I even know some fans. The connection is big and it’s something very special for a team”.
“Shoot!”
He chanted with the fans, but he also talked to Diamantidis again and again during the game: “I was telling him “shoot!”; and he finally decided to do so, he got the game into his hands. It was obvious that he had the chance to shoot the way the defense was set at moments and he decided to take these shots. It seemed that he could do it! I am talking all the time anyway, that’s the truth (laughing). I was talking to my other teammates for small things”.
He had yet another celebration with Zeljko Obradovic and not only: “He is a great guy, an amazing coach no doubt. He is one of the most essential parts of what Panathinaikos has accomplished so far. We are talking about a team effort here: All the way from the basis to the top, from the last person to the presidents. If something of all these elements doesn’t work, a team cannot really function; and we have a strong, solid basis. We are going to take it from there. The last month was not really a fest for us. Our scheduled included a lot of strong games and not much will change in the days to follow. We play Roma on Thursday, Olympiakos again on Sunday. The important thing is to regain our forces, to recover our bodies and minds, because we must stand up to the challenges we have ahead us. One trophy is ours, but we have too more to go!”
