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This was supposed to be a part of U20 championship thread (which is kind of dead), but then I decided to make it into a separate one because it is not so much about sport, but about the organization aspects. This is an interview with LT national team coach. Those who are not interested in LT playing issues, go to the second part of the interview. 
Interview with Kurtinaitis: "This is one of the worst organized championships ever"
(the interview was taken before the 1/4 stage) source: www.basketnews.lt
Was the start of the champiosnhip the one you expected?
This youth championship is interesting because most of the participating teams are very equal. There are around 12 teams who can comepte for the top spots. The teams like Russia or Spain will be fighting for only 9-16 places. Our group was a pretty hard one. Both Greeks and Spaniards are more physicaly mature than our players.
Our group also had Bulgaria, but you should not judge upon it by the title of the country, which is not a basketball hotbed, but they had a really excellent team. In the last game they were leading all the time against Greece, and lost only by one point with a few seconds remaining in the match.
However, we still managed to overcome Spain and Bulgaria. Everybody in our team is in a very fighting mood. Being their coach, I am glad that they believe they came here not only to spend time on court, but also to fight for the medals. I was convincing them for 1,5 months that we are going there for medals.
Were you very anxious before the last group game against Spain?
Definitely. We were very anxious because our situation was already complicated after the loss to Greeks, especially as Bulgaria defeated Spain. We needed two wins very badly, and the match with Spain determined who would fight for 1-8 places. We saw that Bulgarians and Spaniards were very strong, and we are very happy to hold on.
Beating the ball with hands
Is the lack of size so much felt in the team?
Yes, very much. During the last game against Spain we only got 32 rebounds, while Spain - 50! In my entire career as aplayer and as a coach I cannot remember a team getting 50 rebounds and 20 of them under our basket... The lack of size is not because our players cannot block their people under the basket or do not follow my instructions, they simply have not enough physical capacity. Spaniards have 3 players who are taller than our big guys more than 10 cm and weigh 20 kg more. Even if we block our players, they simply push us under the rim with their physical force. In Lithuania we have no 1986-born players who could be equal to Greeks and Spaniards under the rim. But complaints aside - we are playing fast, "light" basketball.
We are not really catching the ball with 2 hands, only keeping beating the ball to each other (as in volleyball) because there is no chance to catch the ball - the rivals are much taller than us. Although the tallest player in our team Vilmantas Dilys is only 206 cm, we score many points from under the basket. Palyers fulfill all my instructions, except blocking their oponents under the rim. I am forced to make Vilmantas Dilys play as a center - the position he never had in his life, simply because he is the tallest.
He always played as a light forward. The guy tries hard, is fighting with 130kg heavy oponents. He understands that there is no other position I can offer him in this team...
Almost everone is saying that the main favourites for the title are Turks?
Yes, Turkey is one of the title favourites, but their team is "not real". When we looked the match of Turks on TV, our guard Martynas Pocius saw one player on the Turkish NT and said: "He has been studying at my high school in the US and he is born in 1983". However, only players born in 1986 or later can particiapte in the tournament. It is not a secret to anyone that Turks fake players' passports, and even players who are 2-3 older than allowed participate in their U20 NT. Everyone knows the countries who do similar tricks.
For the Turks - separate rules
Are you happy with the way this championsip is organized?
No, this championship is organized extremely poorly. On one side of court the rim is brown and leaning on one side, while the other one is red... The rims are fixed with some strange ropes and they hardly keep on stand. I told to the commissioner of the games that teams cannot play under such conditions - the rims simply do not fulfill the basic requirements.
According to the official FIBA rules, the net on the basket should be 40-45 cm long, these ones are clearly way too long. The referees from Russia and Belarus have both confirmed this. It is a pity that no one pays attention to what we are saying. Before the championship FibaEurope confirmed the entire schedule, but the organizers indulge Tursks on every occasion.
On Sunday evening the Turks "unexpectedly" (they all declare that "expectedly") lost to Russians. If Turks got the victory, they would have played in our group, btu after the loss they got into another one. On Monday, our training session was supposed to start at 12, but at 9 am we found out that it would take place at 10... We did not go for breakfast as we expected the training to take place at 12.
The evening training session had to take place at 7 pm, but it was transferred to 5 pm. The organizers have shuffled all the things in the night from Sunday to Monday so that it all is mor convenient to the Turks. All the teams are very dissatisfied with this. The Croats played their game Sunday late in the evening, and had their training session Monday early in the morning at 8 am.
The coaches of Croatian team were cursing the Turks who changed everything in the middle of the night. Everybody is unhappy, but nobody of the organizers takes care. I saw that Vassilaopoulos has arrived, I will try to approach him with my remarks. 15 countries had to adjust to the schedule changed by Turks, something they were not supposed to do.
My assistant coach Mindaugas Lukosius was joking that if Turks take 3rd place in the group, the whole championship system will be changed! The Turks cannot imagine any other place than first.
From what I have seen as a player and as a coach, this is one of the worst championships. Until Monday we had neither the lists with other teams players, nor other information, which is a usual thing to get in all other championships. We are playing like in some Lithuanian village tournament. The Turks will organize the 2010 World championship, they organized the Eurobasket for women. I am shocked how everything is allowed to them.
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material for your consideration
Interview with Kurtinaitis: "This is one of the worst organized championships ever"
(the interview was taken before the 1/4 stage) source: www.basketnews.lt
Was the start of the champiosnhip the one you expected?
This youth championship is interesting because most of the participating teams are very equal. There are around 12 teams who can comepte for the top spots. The teams like Russia or Spain will be fighting for only 9-16 places. Our group was a pretty hard one. Both Greeks and Spaniards are more physicaly mature than our players.
Our group also had Bulgaria, but you should not judge upon it by the title of the country, which is not a basketball hotbed, but they had a really excellent team. In the last game they were leading all the time against Greece, and lost only by one point with a few seconds remaining in the match.
However, we still managed to overcome Spain and Bulgaria. Everybody in our team is in a very fighting mood. Being their coach, I am glad that they believe they came here not only to spend time on court, but also to fight for the medals. I was convincing them for 1,5 months that we are going there for medals.
Were you very anxious before the last group game against Spain?
Definitely. We were very anxious because our situation was already complicated after the loss to Greeks, especially as Bulgaria defeated Spain. We needed two wins very badly, and the match with Spain determined who would fight for 1-8 places. We saw that Bulgarians and Spaniards were very strong, and we are very happy to hold on.
Beating the ball with hands
Is the lack of size so much felt in the team?
Yes, very much. During the last game against Spain we only got 32 rebounds, while Spain - 50! In my entire career as aplayer and as a coach I cannot remember a team getting 50 rebounds and 20 of them under our basket... The lack of size is not because our players cannot block their people under the basket or do not follow my instructions, they simply have not enough physical capacity. Spaniards have 3 players who are taller than our big guys more than 10 cm and weigh 20 kg more. Even if we block our players, they simply push us under the rim with their physical force. In Lithuania we have no 1986-born players who could be equal to Greeks and Spaniards under the rim. But complaints aside - we are playing fast, "light" basketball.
We are not really catching the ball with 2 hands, only keeping beating the ball to each other (as in volleyball) because there is no chance to catch the ball - the rivals are much taller than us. Although the tallest player in our team Vilmantas Dilys is only 206 cm, we score many points from under the basket. Palyers fulfill all my instructions, except blocking their oponents under the rim. I am forced to make Vilmantas Dilys play as a center - the position he never had in his life, simply because he is the tallest.
He always played as a light forward. The guy tries hard, is fighting with 130kg heavy oponents. He understands that there is no other position I can offer him in this team...
Almost everone is saying that the main favourites for the title are Turks?
Yes, Turkey is one of the title favourites, but their team is "not real". When we looked the match of Turks on TV, our guard Martynas Pocius saw one player on the Turkish NT and said: "He has been studying at my high school in the US and he is born in 1983". However, only players born in 1986 or later can particiapte in the tournament. It is not a secret to anyone that Turks fake players' passports, and even players who are 2-3 older than allowed participate in their U20 NT. Everyone knows the countries who do similar tricks.
For the Turks - separate rules
Are you happy with the way this championsip is organized?
No, this championship is organized extremely poorly. On one side of court the rim is brown and leaning on one side, while the other one is red... The rims are fixed with some strange ropes and they hardly keep on stand. I told to the commissioner of the games that teams cannot play under such conditions - the rims simply do not fulfill the basic requirements.
According to the official FIBA rules, the net on the basket should be 40-45 cm long, these ones are clearly way too long. The referees from Russia and Belarus have both confirmed this. It is a pity that no one pays attention to what we are saying. Before the championship FibaEurope confirmed the entire schedule, but the organizers indulge Tursks on every occasion.
On Sunday evening the Turks "unexpectedly" (they all declare that "expectedly") lost to Russians. If Turks got the victory, they would have played in our group, btu after the loss they got into another one. On Monday, our training session was supposed to start at 12, but at 9 am we found out that it would take place at 10... We did not go for breakfast as we expected the training to take place at 12.
The evening training session had to take place at 7 pm, but it was transferred to 5 pm. The organizers have shuffled all the things in the night from Sunday to Monday so that it all is mor convenient to the Turks. All the teams are very dissatisfied with this. The Croats played their game Sunday late in the evening, and had their training session Monday early in the morning at 8 am.
The coaches of Croatian team were cursing the Turks who changed everything in the middle of the night. Everybody is unhappy, but nobody of the organizers takes care. I saw that Vassilaopoulos has arrived, I will try to approach him with my remarks. 15 countries had to adjust to the schedule changed by Turks, something they were not supposed to do.
My assistant coach Mindaugas Lukosius was joking that if Turks take 3rd place in the group, the whole championship system will be changed! The Turks cannot imagine any other place than first.
From what I have seen as a player and as a coach, this is one of the worst championships. Until Monday we had neither the lists with other teams players, nor other information, which is a usual thing to get in all other championships. We are playing like in some Lithuanian village tournament. The Turks will organize the 2010 World championship, they organized the Eurobasket for women. I am shocked how everything is allowed to them.
--------
material for your consideration
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