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Edu Hernandez-Sonseca, DKV Joventut
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 The 2009-10 Eurocup regular season is just around the corner and few players, if any, know better what it takes to win Europe's second club competition than DKV Joventut center Edu Hernandez-Sonseca. He is the only player to win the competition with two different teams - Real Madrid in 2007 and Joventut in 2008. In fact, Hernandez-Sonseca and Mindaugas Lukauskis (with Lietuvos Rytas in 2005 and 2009) are the only players to have won the Eurocup title more than once. Though his name is already linked to some of the greatest moments in Eurocup history, Hernandez-Sonseca is far from being done. In fact, he is ready for another run at the title. A mobile big man with a soft shooting touch and great defensive skills, Hernandez-Sonseca is just 26 and about to reach the prime of his career. He loves the Eurocup and enjoys being back in the competition, as he told us in this Eurocupbasketball.com interview. "There is a list of teams right behind the big powerhouses in Europe that are good squads and can offer a big battle everywhere," Hernandez-Sonseca told Eurocupbasketball.com. "In that sense, the Eurocup is really attractive. It is great to play this competition. You face great teams, but at the same time, have a big chance to win the title at the end of the season."
Hello, Edu, welcome back to the Eurocup. How has the season been for DKV Joventut so far and what are your expectations for the upcoming Eurocup season?
"Thank you. We had an up-and-down start to the season, but the team showed character to get several wins in the Spanish League. We expect to keep working hard, at the same level that we are working right now, to have a strong start in the Eurocup season. We will try to make up for the mistakes that we made so far. If we keep working in the same direction, with everybody on the same page, we can reach really far in the competition."
It is impossible not to think about DKV Joventut’s success less than two years ago, lifting the trophy in Torino. What do you remember about that year, that final against Akasvayu Girona and that special night in your career?
"It is all good, of course. It was different for us, too, as it was the first season under the Final Eight format, very similar to the Spanish King's Cup here in our country. It left a great taste, much better than just winning a final. You had to get three wins to lift the trophy and of course, that is always more difficult. I think we really deserved to win that ULEB Cup title. The team had a great season, both in the Spanish League and the European competition."
 The team has changed a lot since it won the ULEB Cup title in 2008. Of course, coach Aito Garcia Reneses left and was replaced by former assistant Sito Alonso. What differences do you find between these coaches and how would you describe your current coach?
"Well, it is a fact that both coaches are similar in several aspects, especially in the way they see the game. Sito was Aito's assistant coach and learned a lot from him. Of course, Sito has his own ideas and the main difference is that he is a young coach that is a little bit more demanding than Aito when it comes to running and things like that. That 2007-08 season was my only one with Aito. Defense and running the floor were the main focuses for him. Both Aito and Sito share that same philosophy: be able to win games with defense."
If you have a look at your regular season group, you have tough teams like Besiktas Cola Turka, Unics and Telekom Baskets Bonn. Only two teams will advance to the Last 16. That forces everyone to be focused from the very beginning, right?
"Yes, absolutely. It is a very complicated group, with three competitive teams ready to knock us off. We have to be really solid at home and try to steal a road win here and there. I played at Kazan twice already and it is complicated to steal a road win over there. Even with that, we must do our homework in Badalona and try to win on the road to stay out of trouble."
You are one of the two players to have won this competition more than once. What has the Eurocup meant for you in your career?
"I only have good memories. I remember when I won my first title with Madrid, I didn't see as much playing time as when I lifted the trophy with DKV. It was an important decision for me to leave Madrid and join Joventut to find my own game. I had the luck that the team played really well and earned the chance to make it to another European final, with the chance to contribute much more the second time around. It was a very important title for me and all I have are good memories."
 You are a veteran in the competition. How do you see the evolution of the Eurocup throughout the years?
"I think it has been a good evolution. Little by little, the teams that make it to the regular season are stronger and the Qualifying Round helped a lot, too. From my own experience two years ago, there were some teams that did not have a very high level, to be honest. Nevertheless, there is a list of teams right behind the big powerhouses in Europe that are good squads and can offer a big battle everywhere. In that sense, the Eurocup is really attractive. You don't get great teams like CSKA, Panathinaikos or Barcelona, but it is great to play this competition. You face great teams, but at the same time, have a big chance to win the title at the end of the season."
Joventut is one of the favorites to win the Eurocup title. What would satisfy you at the end of this Eurocup season?
"Well, to be totally satisfied, you need to win the competition, that's for sure. Any player that plays any competition wants to win it, no question about that. I just hope we are able to win it and that I can play an important role in the team. Being honest, doing really well on the court and not winning games means nothing. It is way less valuable playing well and not winning the title. The most important thing is being able to win games and end up lifting the trophy. I hope it can be a balance of both things, even though winning the title is much more important than what I can do on the floor. Of course, if both things can happen - winning the title and playing well – it’s better, of course. I will try to do my best, but global goals are always more important that individual ones."
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Friday, November 13, 2009
Javier Gancedo, Eurocupbasketball.com
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