UBI Holding Graz is in attack mode this season. This is shown not only by the squad full of national team players around star forward Simone Sill, but also by the team’s self-confident demeanor.
A video from league sponsor win2day recently went online in which Graz coach Tanja Kuzmanovic and some star players talk about this year’s title chances and the basic tenor is clear: after second place last year, they are only satisfied with the title this year.
“Graz won’t have it easy”
The fact that long-term rival Klosterneuburg has rejuvenated itself significantly in the summer, had to let go of all three Zderadicka sisters and has a new coach in Diana Picorusevic could play into the Styrians’ hands.
Picorusevic, of all people, is now making people sit up and take notice with a declaration of war: “Everyone is currently making UBI Graz the favorite, but it won’t be that easy for them, the statements from the Graz women have given us additional motivation. And the season is long, we have young, aggressive players and the potential.”
Diana Picorusevic has taken over the coaching reins from Franz Zderadicka in Klosterneuburg
Photo: © Basketball Austria
Excitement before the top duel
The two undefeated top teams will meet for the first time today, Saturday, at 2:30 p.m. in Klosterneuburg. A determination of the position for both troops, because the really tough tests have not yet been carried out in the still young season.
“We are excited to see what lies ahead; we expect an exciting and challenging game. It will depend on who is the more disciplined team over 40 minutes. After the successful start to the season, it is the first real trial by fire for us,” Graz team boss Kuzmanovic already announced that the Lower Austrians would not be taken lightly.
It remains to be seen how meaningful the early league duel will be with regard to the title fight. Both teams are still missing top performers and both teams are not yet where they want to be: “We are still finding our roles because the distribution of roles in the team has completely changed. Sina Höllerl, who came off the bench last year, has to lead the team together with Michaela Wildbacher,” says Picorusevic, who emphasizes the good atmosphere in the locker room.
In contrast to previous Klosterneuburg teams, every player should be involved, “the best ones then play.” And that is defensively aggressive and offensively controlled, that is the philosophy with which she coaches and which should ideally lead to the title: “Everyone wants that Win titles and we don’t have to hide. If we do our job, we win. There is no pressure from the club, but of course we want to become champions.”
How realistic this is will become clear over the course of the season. The first meeting today in Klosterneuburg could already be a benchmark.
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