The point guard from Getxo and the small forward from Miribilla will be part of the Surne Bilbao expedition heading to Salónica this Tuesday to face PAOK in the FIBA Europe Cup final. Both agree that the opportunity to participate in such a significant event is a “privilege” and emphasize the “excellent” treatment they receive from the first team and coaching staff.
They see themselves as a representation of the youth development work the club has been doing. “We are now the visible face because we are traveling to the final, but it’s worth looking back and thinking about Bingen Errasti, Urko Madariaga, Aiert Velasco, Aleksandar Zecevic... We have all contributed our grain of sand,” they state.
“"I still can't believe it. In one year, you go from watching it from the stands or from home to experiencing it firsthand. It's impactful, I'm still processing it. The truth is, I'm very happy."
The young players have been informed about what awaits them in Salónica. “We’ve been asking these past weeks, and they’ve told us that something might happen, that they’ll shout things we won’t even understand… We’re going with great enthusiasm and the desire to win,” they comment.
They describe the Surne Bilbao locker room as “a great locker room” where they learn a lot and receive advice. They also highlight the treatment from the head coach, emphasizing his balance as a person and a coach. “Very few people are top in both the technical and personal aspects. He cares a lot about his players,” one of the players affirms.
Both players debuted in Europe this year, an experience they recall as “incredible.” In this final, they are at the forefront of the youth development work, reflecting the club’s good performance. “The work being done is good, otherwise there wouldn’t have been four debuts in the FIBA Europe Cup this season and three more, including Aleksandar, in the Liga Endesa,” they add.
