Germani’s pivot wing guest at “Basket Time 2.0”: “At the moment we are not worried about the eight-man rotation, with Tortona we made a good defense, but we can do more because there is still a bit of communication missing. I can play as 3, 4 and 5. My mother wanted me to play American football or baseball… A physical match awaits us with Bologna.”
Brescia. Guest at Basket Time 2.0″, the program curated by the editorial staff of Bresciacanestro.com, broadcast live yesterday evening on the digital terrestrial channels VideoBrescia (118) and TeleLeonessa (119), on the Facebook pages of Bresciacanestro and Cristiano Tognoli and on Cristiano’s Youtube channel, Jason Burnell winger/pivot of Germani Pallacanestro Brescia spoke about his role within the team and the upcoming match against Bologna.
Did the criticisms directed at the roster in the summer give you further motivation to start off so well?
“I, like the others, don’t pay much attention to what is said or written, I know what to expect from my team so I don’t worry.”
How do you feel about eight-man rotations in the team?
“Today’s good, then we’ll see in March-April, right now we’re training and we feel good, we’re not worried about the short rotation.”
What is the strength of this group?
“The secret is in the group and the coach who involves everyone, we all get along, we train well and we get along well”.
A good match against Tortona, do you feel that you are improving in defense?
“We played a good defense and improved, but we can do more and train to do better, perhaps that bit of communication is still missing, there are high-level players and we must all be able to be on the same defensive level.”
Your roles to date are 3, 4 and 5…
“Yes, this summer Peppe told me that he would play me between these three roles, on the other hand my dad has always taught me how to play in various roles and I still often compare myself with him, I try to be a wild card ”.
Where are we with the three-point shot? Are you working on it?
“I’ll manage to be good at that too, compared to last year I shoot more when I’m concentrated”.
You’ve already played five games of the first eight away, strange isn’t it? When opposing fans boo you, do you get excited?
“When the calendar came out this summer I immediately saw this thing about the many away games at the beginning, yes it’s strange. When opposing fans whistle they give me more energy, I’m used to it, it happened at College too.”
If you hadn’t played basketball what would you have done?
“It made sense for me to play basketball with a father who was a coach. Now he is retired, he hasn’t coached for two years, but he continues to give me advice. My mother had tried to get me to play American football or baseball because she said that one guy who was obsessed with basketball was enough at home. But the call of basketball was too strong for me.”
What has changed in you this year that you can make something wrong without being called back to the bench immediately?
“I have more confidence and the coach also gives it to me, it makes me feel better”.
How important is the warm-up before the match for you?
“It’s a routine, but it’s more of a mental issue than a physical one.”
Is this pause in the championship coming at the right time?
“Yes, regardless of age and physique, there is a need for a few days of recharge and energy, even just from a mental point of view”.
What type of test will the match against Bologna be?
“A very physical match awaits us, in the end we will have to play with confidence. Shengelia is one of the best European players, it will be difficult to mark him, but I will come in and give it my all, I think I’m capable of doing it.”
