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France: Maltsi Aiming For Domestic Bliss
// 25 January 2007
By Steve Douglas, PA Sport

Having already hit extraordinary heights on the international stage with Greece, Evanthia Maltsi is ready this season to finally make a splash on the club scene with one of Europe's finest sides, Bourges Basket.

Maltsi is still only 28 but so far in her career, it is her performances with her national team that have stood out.

Evanthia Maltsi (GRE)
The highlight of Evanthia Maltsi's career came at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
Her unstoppable displays at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens will never be forgotten, by Maltsi herself and by anyone who was lucky enough to witness her play in Greece.

She is now hoping she can get back that feeling at club level. And she may just be at the right team to fulfil her dreams.

Bourges, arguably the biggest club in France, are on the hunt for trophies on both the domestic and European fronts this year.

And Maltsi, who is yet to win anything major at club level during stints at Greek side Panathinaikos and Spanish outfits Celta Vigo and Zaragoza, can smell the silverware.

"There are many things I still want to achieve in my career," the Greece forward told PA Sport.

"Playing at the Olympics at home, that feeling will never be beaten. Nothing can compare to that, especially with it being in Greece.

"I was lucky to be involved and I'm glad I played my best in that tournament. 

"But I want to win titles. I am one of those players who never seems to win anything at a team. Then, when I move, my old team ends up doing well. It's strange but hopefully that will change at Bourges. I have a feeling this year. Everything is possible for us this year."

Bourges are currently third in France's Ligue Feminine, behind USVO Valenciennes and Villeneuve d'Ascq, with around two months to go before the end of the regular season.

In EuroLeague Women, meanwhile, they have made it to the Eighth Final Play-Offs, where they will play fellow French entrants USO Mondeville.

Bourges have already showed their pedigree in what was a tough Round I group, which included CSKA Samara of Russia and Hungarian giants MiZo Pecs.

Evanthia Maltsi (Bourges Basket)
Maltsi is averaging 10.8 ppg with Bourges in the EuroLeague Women.
And Maltsi is confident they can go all the way.

"We just wanted to finish as high as we possibly could in the group. We did that, but it was hard," she continued.

"I think Mondeville are a very good team and it will be difficult for us. But I think we will make it. There are some very strong teams out there. A lot of teams have good players but on our day, we have the ability."

Asked who Bourges' biggest rivals will be, she added: "I haven't seen all the teams but I have obviously seen Samara, and they are definitely one of the best."

"They aren't playing as well as they can at the moment. They can improve and will be dangerous. Valencia of Spain are also very good and one of the favourites. And from what I have seen from the results, Spartak Moscow have a good team. I would say there are eight teams who are very strong."

Maltsi has had a difficult time adjusting to life at Bourges since making the move from Zaragoza in the summer.

A stress fracture injury with the season just one week old kept her on the sidelines for a month and a half.

Since returning, she admits it has taken a while to get used to playing with a new team, in a new country. 

"Because of my injury at the beginning of the season, I came back a little late," she said.

"It was difficult for me, especially being at a new team and not knowing how my team-mates play. That is important, you know, because I am not used to them and their philosophy of playing."

Off the court, she has had to get accustomed to a new way of life, with a language she is yet to master.

With Bourges still in two competitions, basketball is dominating her life, leaving precious little time to do anything else.

"Everything is totally different here, but it's still hard to compare with other countries I have played in," she said. 

"In Greece, the championship is not so strong because of the economy and they don't have teams in Europe. The level of life is high but if you want to do something more, you have to move. There isn't that much difference between Spain and France, in terms of quality of basketball. It is more professional here, as far as contracts and getting settled are concerned.

"Both countries have two or three very strong teams in their league, as you can see from the results," she continued.

"There are a lot of games that teams win by 20 points. But France is something totally new to me. Spain and Greece are similar in lifestyle. I didn't have to adapt when I moved to Spain."

"It's different here. All I seem to do is play basketball here. When I was in Spain, I had a lot more free time. My teams weren't playing in Europe. But in France I am so busy, I have not had time to see anything. We often play three games a week here."

She is nevertheless delighted to be at Bourges, a club she holds in high regard.


 
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France: Maltsi Aiming For Domestic Bliss
// 25.01.2007
By Steve Douglas, PA Sport

Having already hit extraordinary heights on the international stage with Greece, Evanthia Maltsi is ready this season to finally make a splash on the club scene with one of Europe's finest sides, Bourges Basket.

Maltsi is still only 28 but so far in her career, it is her performances with her national team that have stood out.

Evanthia Maltsi (GRE)
The highlight of Evanthia Maltsi's career came at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
Her unstoppable displays at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens will never be forgotten, by Maltsi herself and by anyone who was lucky enough to witness her play in Greece.

She is now hoping she can get back that feeling at club level. And she may just be at the right team to fulfil her dreams.

Bourges, arguably the biggest club in France, are on the hunt for trophies on both the domestic and European fronts this year.

And Maltsi, who is yet to win anything major at club level during stints at Greek side Panathinaikos and Spanish outfits Celta Vigo and Zaragoza, can smell the silverware.

"There are many things I still want to achieve in my career," the Greece forward told PA Sport.

"Playing at the Olympics at home, that feeling will never be beaten. Nothing can compare to that, especially with it being in Greece.

"I was lucky to be involved and I'm glad I played my best in that tournament. 

"But I want to win titles. I am one of those players who never seems to win anything at a team. Then, when I move, my old team ends up doing well. It's strange but hopefully that will change at Bourges. I have a feeling this year. Everything is possible for us this year."

Bourges are currently third in France's Ligue Feminine, behind USVO Valenciennes and Villeneuve d'Ascq, with around two months to go before the end of the regular season.

In EuroLeague Women, meanwhile, they have made it to the Eighth Final Play-Offs, where they will play fellow French entrants USO Mondeville.

Bourges have already showed their pedigree in what was a tough Round I group, which included CSKA Samara of Russia and Hungarian giants MiZo Pecs.

Evanthia Maltsi (Bourges Basket)
Maltsi is averaging 10.8 ppg with Bourges in the EuroLeague Women.
And Maltsi is confident they can go all the way.

"We just wanted to finish as high as we possibly could in the group. We did that, but it was hard," she continued.

"I think Mondeville are a very good team and it will be difficult for us. But I think we will make it. There are some very strong teams out there. A lot of teams have good players but on our day, we have the ability."

Asked who Bourges' biggest rivals will be, she added: "I haven't seen all the teams but I have obviously seen Samara, and they are definitely one of the best."

"They aren't playing as well as they can at the moment. They can improve and will be dangerous. Valencia of Spain are also very good and one of the favourites. And from what I have seen from the results, Spartak Moscow have a good team. I would say there are eight teams who are very strong."

Maltsi has had a difficult time adjusting to life at Bourges since making the move from Zaragoza in the summer.

A stress fracture injury with the season just one week old kept her on the sidelines for a month and a half.

Since returning, she admits it has taken a while to get used to playing with a new team, in a new country. 

"Because of my injury at the beginning of the season, I came back a little late," she said.

"It was difficult for me, especially being at a new team and not knowing how my team-mates play. That is important, you know, because I am not used to them and their philosophy of playing."

Off the court, she has had to get accustomed to a new way of life, with a language she is yet to master.

With Bourges still in two competitions, basketball is dominating her life, leaving precious little time to do anything else.

"Everything is totally different here, but it's still hard to compare with other countries I have played in," she said. 

"In Greece, the championship is not so strong because of the economy and they don't have teams in Europe. The level of life is high but if you want to do something more, you have to move. There isn't that much difference between Spain and France, in terms of quality of basketball. It is more professional here, as far as contracts and getting settled are concerned.

"Both countries have two or three very strong teams in their league, as you can see from the results," she continued.

"There are a lot of games that teams win by 20 points. But France is something totally new to me. Spain and Greece are similar in lifestyle. I didn't have to adapt when I moved to Spain."

"It's different here. All I seem to do is play basketball here. When I was in Spain, I had a lot more free time. My teams weren't playing in Europe. But in France I am so busy, I have not had time to see anything. We often play three games a week here."

She is nevertheless delighted to be at Bourges, a club she holds in high regard.


 
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Evanthia Maltsi (Ros Casares)
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