Shay Shtriks: Three Bulgarian teams in EUROHOLD Balkan League will be important and good for the local basketball

Next week will be decided all the teams that will take part in EUROHOLD Balkan League for season 2012/2013. It′s not yet officially confirmed which Bulgarian teams will be a part of the league and the Sports director of the competiton - Mr. Shay Shtriks wanted to answer to some rumours he is hearing:

"From what we in EUROHOLD Balkan League know Levski and Rilski Sportist will continue to be in the competiton for 6th season in a row which I believe is the right decision. I will be the happiest person to see those teams play in Euroleague or Eurocup but right now the project of EUROHOLD Balkan League fits their budgets and the good level they are performing at. It′s not a mistake that those teams went to 5 games in the semifinal and the final against Lukoil Academic. It was not because Lukoil is a bad team but due to the fact that they played good games and improved during the season in the competition.

From what we know those two teams will continue to play next season as well and this season is going to be very strong. We don′t know anything else. If they choose to play somewhere else we have to know that by next week when all the teams must be known.

EUROHOLD Balkan League is also open to the community and seeing so many people in Samokov means that Petar Georgiev′s vision for his team is working well. I know he prefers the people there to have 8-10 international games at home and not the possibility to have 3 to 5.

For me Balkan also has a place in EUROHOLD Balkan League in the next season. In my opinion the team was coached excellent by Aleksandar Todorov and with the good roster they will have they have their position in the competition. This will be good for Bulgarian basketball and for the local community. I spoke with some of the spectators during our camp in Samokov and they hope the board will make a decision for the team to play in our league. I heard a rumour about EuroChallenge but my opinion is that may be in the future they can go there. For me it′s better that before u start to run you need to start to walk. They are welcome to join us in EUROHOLD Balkan League but it depends only on them. On Monday I will have a meeting with the mayor of Botevgrad regarding a future cooperation and I will express my opinion about a possible participation in EUROHOLD Balkan League of Balkan.

Three Bulgarian teams in the competiton will support the local league and the national team as well. It will also gather more interest to EUROHOLD Balkan League and to the teams as well and I believe it will be important and good for the basketball in Bulgaria.

Tomorrow I will have a meeting in Greece where I′ll speak about a possible team from that country. Next week most probably we are going to know all the teams about the next season."