Coach Ufuk Sarıya, who returned home two years ago in Pınar Karşıyaka, where he previously won the Super League, Turkish Cup and Presidential Cup in basketball, gave the message that they will be ready for the new pre-season challenge.
Experienced coach Ufuk Sarıca, who returned to Pınar Karşıyaka, from which he left in 2016, by winning 3 historical trophies, in 2019, carried the team to the finals in Europe for 2 seasons. Kaf-Kaf, who missed the trophy in the FIBA Europe Cup, which he was his biggest favorite in 2020, when the organization was stopped at the semi-final stage due to the coronavirus epidemic, succeeded in playing in the final in the FIBA Champions League last season. Ufuk Sarıca evaluated his team in Karşıyaka, which renewed its showcase by reinforcing its staff with important transfers, where names such as Morgan, Henry, Kennedy, Metecan, Nusret, Onuralp were left before the new season.
Ufuk Sarıca, who drew attention to the 4-year period between 2012 and 2016, said, “This 4-year period has been a process that has been passed one by one, and with the championships, Pınar Karşıyaka entered the Euroleague arena for the first time in its history at the end of 2016. A very new team has achieved this sustainable success in the last two years. Although we started with 10 new players, we were able to continue. We are, of course, very happy. We led the Super League for a long time in the 2019-2020 season and we were in the 2nd place when the league was approaching the end and it was half-finished. In the European Cup, we were in the semi-finals. “We were going very dominating and we were in very good shape. We were probably going to win that cup, but the season was interrupted,” he said.
‘If there was an extra player, we would be champions in Europe’
Reminding that they finished the Super League in the top 3 despite strong opponents last season, Sarıca continued his words as follows:
“This was an important stability. We made it to the finals of the Champions League last year, as a matter of fact, at the beginning of the season, many authorities did not show us as the favorites there. In fact, many teams other than us were nominated for the last 8. But we became a team that improved itself on the way and grew. “We finished the season with 13 players, as we started, despite the coronavirus and injuries. We stayed within the budget drawn by our sponsor and our management. Maybe if we were our 14th player or if we had a 6th foreign player, we would have won a European championship.”
‘We’ve become the team to be considered’
Ufuk Sarıca said, “Sustainable success has been the most important factor for me in every term here. At this point, Pınar Karşıyaka has become a school that is always in the top 4, nominated for the finals and championships, and is afraid of being matched. While achieving this success, especially last season, it was empty without fans. Considering that we play matches in the hall, and we are one of the first 3 clubs to be affected by this, our performance made the whole community happy.”
‘Pınar Karşıyaka was a good showcase’
Evaluating the squad established for the new season, Sarıca said, “The biggest difference compared to last year is that we will play with a different big guy.” We sent Morgan to Russia with a high-budget contract, Raymar Morgan went to the Euroleague team again in the season that ended. “We transferred players that many people did not know before,” he said.
‘3 Strangers Changed’
Adding important foreigners in the transfer, Kaf-Kaf’ta Sarıca said, “When we look at this year, we see that our 3 foreign players have changed. But the important thing is to configure the system according to the player, according to our team. We have received very high quality players. James Blackmon is a very talented and high quality player, he is a very talented player. Bonzie Colson played in our league before and was the MVP in the Champions League and in France last season. I think Akil Mitchell is the best player we can get within our budget. We will adapt him in the best way possible. ‘ he declared.
‘We made quality domestic supplements’
Stating that 3 foreign basketball players have changed as well as local players, Sarıca evaluated his new students who left the team as follows: “Metecan’s progress in Pınar Karşıyaka in the last 2 seasons has made me happy and he still has places to go. As in the example of Sertaç Şanlı, I hope Metecan He takes serious deadlines, duties and responsibilities in Fenerbahçe Beko, and hopefully he will reach the places he dreamed of bigger abroad. As locals, we recruited Can Korkmaz, Burak Can Yıldızlı, Berkan Durmaz and young Ali Efe from the infrastructure. Very high quality locals. “I think 8 new players have joined our squad, we need some time after a well-established squad, we need to combine old pieces with new pieces. We train for this, we will play special matches. I believe that we will start the season with the best preparedness,” he said.
‘Our pilot team will bring important values to Karşıyaka’
Stating that the pilot team project is indispensable and a very correct move to be made before, Sarıca made the following assessment about the new team made with Bornova Municipality and which will compete in the Turkish Basketball League under the name of Bornova Municipality Karşıyaka:
“We made a good formation with the Bornova Municipality. We created a nice opportunity for our young players who were stuck in between, to play more matches for more time to get cooked. We could not have wanted this formation in previous years. There is a very nice hall. In this formation, the opportunity to work was very important because of the hall. The presence of the hall strengthened the cooperation in this context. Our administration and the Bornova Municipality administration are very excited. A young team is being formed, they will make mistakes, they will correct and improve them. The aim here will be player development. Here, the individual development of the players will be in a situation that we can observe during the season. I am hopeful, 3-year middle school -In the long run, Pınar Karşıyaka will gain significant value from here.”
IZMIR, (DHA)
