Shay Shtriks: We enjoy good contests with local players leading the way

The Sports Director of SIGAL-UNIQA Balkan League - Mr. Shay Shtriks expressed his opinion after the game BC Levski 2014 - KK Blokotehna-NB which was played yesterday. Here is what he had to say:

"Dear basketball friends,

I am sure that the ones who watched last evening the game between BC Levski 2014 vs KK Blokotehna enjoyed a very good basketball contest where the main leading players on the court were locals - from Bulgaria and Macedonia. The only objection in this game was the non-professional behavior of some of the team members. Situation that I am sure we will not have to see again.

I was impressed especially from the young team of BC Levski 2014 who has a lot of young and potential Bulgarian players lead by the very experienced coach Mr. Papazov. I just hope that in the future games more spectators will come to support these youngsters as they deserve it.

This is the best answer for the remarks of the experienced and respectable basketball person from Bulgaria Mr. Sasho Vezenkov who explained in the TV that the shining of BIBL is finished. No, Mr. Vezenkov the shining was not finished. Never the Balkan League was a shining League. In the last 9 years the Balkan League is the best ever school for young Balkan players, coaches, referees and in fact also young basketball talents from all over the world. Yes, in some of the teams you can find senior players giving to the young players in each of the teams their experience and the knowledge of basketball. But this is normal. 

Regarding the Bulgarian teams, I am proud that for the last 9 years we have supported the basketball in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian players, the Bulgarian coaches, the Bulgarian teams as organizations. I am happy to see two young coaches in Samokov and Plovdiv leading their teams in the best possible way. In those two teams we also have great and good Bulgarian players that show every round and every week that they can play very good basketball. I am happy that Titi with all his experience accepted my challenge and came back to be the coach in his young team. Mr. Vezenkov, how many good referees came from the Balkan League ? Do you know ? Yes, you are completely right we are not shining at all. We are hard workers and we are proud to be the first step for any team, coach, player and referee to develop from our not shiny league.

We are not shining but I respect Mr. Manchenko and Mr. Alipiev from BNT who believed in us and again broadcast our not shining game – already for 10th consecutive season. Mr. Vezenkov, I have high respect for you and for PBC Lukoil Academic club and organization - one of the top in our region. I never said one word in my life against you and your organization. I was the first to support any Bulgarian team including the National team as I am Bulgarian and proud to be Bulgarian. Please let′s continue to respect each other′s organizations and ourselves.

We in BIBL with the full cooperation of the teams and federations will follow our motto and obligations to support the basketball in our region.

By the way, last but not least, from the top of my 60 years of age I have learned that not everything covered with gold is really full with gold."

Shay Shtriks

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