There is one game left in the BBL season. How would you compare last year´s championship team with this year´s team?
Ibrahim Diarra: This year´s team is different. We have some players that played on last year´s championship team. We also have new young players and a new coach.We also have some new systems, but the difference is that we lost some experience in loosing Mario Kasun and Robbie Garret, but we try to balance that with the young players, who have a lot of energy and hunger to win another championship.
You are known as a defensive specialist for the team. Do you sometimes wish you could have a different role or get assigned another role for the team?
No, not really. I kind of like my role and I know my role is very important for the team and that is how you build championship teams, with players that know their roles and how to do their roles well. I feel very good about it.
The TOP FOUR is approaching soon. How special is it to play in a TOP FOUR as well as having played in a championship game?
We won the BBL championship last year and we know what it takes to win and we lost in the TOP FOUR final last year That is a big motavation for all the players to win the TOP FOUR this year. It is an advantage that we can play at home, but the teams will want to beat us badly. Even the first game against Bonn will be tough, but we need to stay sharp and stay focused and hope all our fans will be behind us so we can win it.
How is the Cup play and the TOP FOUR different from just the regular atmosphere of BBL play?
It is a big difference. It is a weekend event with possibly two games for us. It is like a mini-championship and really special to play in. Normally, you play the season and then the playoffs, but with the Cup play it comes down to five or six games and then you can win a trophy. The TOP FOUR is a big challenge before the playoffs to stay sharp and have something a little closer to look forward to before the playoffs.
You lost in last year´s final. How much is the team burning to win the cup this year?
We are really burning to win the cup. I spoke to some players that were here last year and we were really disappointed that we lost the final last year at home. The whole Frankfurt community was sad that we lost last year. I hope we can win it this year and we will fight really hard to do so.
You have had much success against Bonn in the last year. First, you beat them in the 2004 playoffs, then you beat them at home and on the road this season. Sooner or later they are going to win a game?
Yes, of course. Bonn has good players and normally has a strong team. We will have to play our game, stay sharp and we should be able to win the game.
Do think you have the mental edge over Bonn now, because you beat them in the Ballsporthalle last weekend?
I think we do a little bit. But every game is new and different, so if they have a really good day and we don´t, then it will be tough for us. Normally, we will have a little of an edge.
This is a different atmosphere in Cup play than in the BBL. Is there a special way you have to prepare mentally, because the arena will have fans from Bonn, Ludwigsburg and Cologne.
That is the difference about TOP FOUR that there will be many fans from different teams. Hopefuly it will be really full and that makes it a great atmosphere. There will be two games in a row and you need to stay focused and think only about the first game and not the second game. We have to keep our energy for the whole weekend, because it will be tough, but a lot of fun.
You will play the second game on Saturday at 18:50 against Bonn. How do you prepare the hours before? Do you watch the first game or how do you get ready for the evening game?
Normally, we will not watch much of the first game, maybe a bit of the second half. Usually, you want to play, but the advantage of waiting is that you have more time to rest and focus on your game. Of course we can also enjoy some of the atmosphere in the Ballsporthalle. However, we do know about our job of playing the next game. It is not that difficult waiting. We can see how the gym slowly gets hyped up for our game
Who would you rather see in the final, Ludwigsburg or Cologne and why?
It really does not matter to me. We are focusing on the first game to get past Bonn. I just want to get to the final and whoever is there is who we will try to beat.
I think the team still has some business to take care of with Ludwigsburg?
Of course, we lost twice to them this year in the BBL season. The home loss really hurt, because we played really well for three quarters and then they came back and stole the game from us and then we lost the game on the last shot. If we do play them, then we can take revenge on them for the two losses this year.
Who are the top players that we should have to watch in the TOP FOUR?
There will be a lot of great players playing in the TOP FOUR. Our players Chris Williams and Pascal Roller will lead us. Cologne has top players Sasa Obradovic, Marko Pesic and the big American player Bill Edwards that can dominate games . Ludwigsburg is also really dangerous. They have showed that they have played together even though they had some problems at the end of the BBL season. Bonn we know really well and they also have great players. It will be fun to see what players will step up for the occasion.
You know the feeling of what it is to be a champion. How special would it be to win the Cup this year, too?
It would be really special to win the Cup this year. This is what you work for so hard the whole year and I think that I, as an experienced player, know how difficult it is to be in this situation to win a championship. I just hope we can focus and win. We just want to win it for ourseleves and the fans.
What player has improved the most this year?
It has been an up and down year for everyone. I think Spyro Panteliadis has improved a lot. Also Miro Todic has improved a lot. Even though he has had limited playing time, I see him everyday in practice. Miro is playing with a lot of maturity. Alex King has taken a big step from being a young talented player to being able to play quality minutes and be really helpful to the team.
The NBA playoffs have started. Who is the favorite and who do you want to win?
I think one of the favorites is Miami. They play very nice basketball. I also like Shaq a lot. I think it will be between San Antiono or Denver in the west against Miami. I think Miami will have the edge, because it is hard to beat a team that has such a dominant inside player with Shaq and also the supporting cast with Dwayne Wade and Jones.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber reporting for the OPEL SKYLINERS
