Spain: Garcia Takes Nothing for Granted

28 February 2006

DKV Joventut coach Aito Garcia is being ultra cautious ahead of his side's EuroCup quarter-final clash with Lokomotiv Rostov on Tuesday.

The Badalona club thrashed Lokomotiv 88-54 in Game 1 and if they come out on top in Game 2, they will qualify for the Final Four.

"It will be a new game and the fact that we won by a large margin in the first contest in Rostov means nothing more than we are a game ahead and we start again from zero now," said veteran coach Garcia.

"We have two games to play now and we have to win one of them. This game obviously is very important above all because some people may think it will be easy. It will be tough and we will have to work hard from the start."

Garcia does have some fitness concerns going into the game.

He said: "In terms of my players, Elmer Bennett has a lot of problems but there are always players with knocks and it is not important if they can play and show a good attitude as they are doing.

"I expect to count on all of the players but Jessie Young."

Bennett played in the weekend win over Akasvayu Girona and scored eight points but Young did not take part.

DKV Joventut are in good form in both Europe and the ACB. They thrashed Girona 89-71 at the weekend.

One player to watch for DKV is Alex Mumbru, whose performances have been putting him into contention for a place in Spain's squad for the FIBA World Championship.

He had 17 points and nine boards in the win over Girona.

"It will be a tough game with a lot of expectation after the win on their court," he said.

"They will have a lot of pride and will not want the same thing to happen. We want to win because we know how important it will be for our fans.

"The public has a big part to play in this and it is easier to play at home. We lost points in the first game away from home before we got comfortable."


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