Waar in de Poules des dooddsszzzz .. straks in Berlijn de messen al lang
geslepen zijn ... worden ook de messen geslepen in de andere Poules.
Onze trots Oranje Lion ...... Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauwwwwwww
Geeeeeeeeweldig is dan om te lezen dat onze Oranje mannen klaar zijn om top
Europa te laten zien wie Oranje Lion is aangevoerd door onze bondscoach Van Helftren.
Dimitris Kontos ... heeft een geweldige stukje geschreven op de web site van
fibaeurope.com.
Waar voor mijn dank voor delen met de basketball liefhebbers ook hier.
In het stukje is dan wel te lezen naast het intermezzzoo met Henk Norrel ....
onze bondscoach niet bang is en het liefst had hij in Poules Des Doodszzz in gezeten
in Berlijn dus in plaats van Zagreb.
Noooouu ... dat is me wel een uitspraak en geeft strijd aan van onze bondscoach.
Het zij zo en het stukje dus hier onder is van de web site van
www.fibaeurope.com
daar kan je ook meer info ook vinden.
The nice words and photo by Dimitris Kontos below is from the web site of
www.fibaeurope.com.
Thanks for shearing for our fans also.
NOREL COULD BOLSTER DUTCH FRONTCOURT
 |
| Henk Norel |
By Dimitris Kontos
Henk Norel last played for Netherlands in the summer of 2012, during the qualification campaign for EuroBasket in Slovenia, a few months before suffering the second serious knee injury in his career.
The 27-year-old Dutch center returned to action with his club CAI Zaragoza, approximately a year ago, but he spent last summer making sure his knees recuperate fully and he recovers past form, as he was playing the best basketball of his career prior to getting injured.
Consequently, Norel missed out on the proudest moment for Dutch basketball in the last 25 years, as Netherlands qualified for EuroBasket for the first time since 1987.
Norel watched all games in the qualification round as a simple fan, felt extremely proud for his national team and let Netherlands head coach Toon Van Helfteren know that he completely understood if, going forward, he only counted on the players who achieved this enormous feat.
Coach Van Helfteren however told fibaeurope.com after the EuroBasket 2015 draw that he was considering a middle of the way solution, in a direction that could lead to Norel returning to the national team for EuroBasket 2015.
"Our first thought was to take to EuroBasket the players that accomplished this," Van Helfteren had said.
"But the more time you have to think about it, it comes down to having the best team next year. I don't necessarily mean the best players, but the best team."
fibaeurope.com visited with Norel to query the Zaragoza center about the possibility of him making a return to the Dutch national team and his view on EuroBasket 2015.
If coach Toon Van Helfteren wants the Netherlands to travel to Zagreb with the best team possible, you are probably one of the first names on his list. Have you spoken with the coach about you re-joining the national team for the EuroBasket?
I will talk to the coach soon, nothing is sure right now, but I would love to play in the EuroBasket. I wouldn't say a 'better' team, because Holland had not qualified for 25 years and this team is the one who made it. Maybe a more experienced team, then. But what the guys did last summer was something special, was something incredible, so all the credit to them. Now if I can help out, I would like to help out.
Physically, do you think you would be up for it? After suffering injuries in both knees in the last years, would your health be a factor that influences your decision to play at the EuroBasket?
I feel very good, but also there is the contract (Norel's current contract with CAI Zaragoza expires at the end of the season) and everything, so it's going to be an interesting summer. Right now I am totally focused on the season with CAI and we'll see how things are in the summer.
Looking at Group C, Georgia have Zaza Pachulia, Croatia have Ante Tomic, and so on. Do you think that if the Netherlands had Henk Norel to go up against these big guys, it would be good both for you and the team?
We played Georgia back in the day, so I've played against Pachulia, and we beat them. I've played against Barcelona a lot of times so I've played against Tomic. So yes, it's also good for me to show there that I can be one of the best. I am very confident, I feel better every day so, if I am there in the end, I am sure it's going to be fun.
Regardless of whether you joint the team or not, what do you think of your opponents in Zagreb? The coach said he would have preferred to play in Berlin, is this also your opinion?
It's a hard group, but then in a European championship you only face tough teams. I think it's a great experience, especially for the young guys and the guys who play in Holland to play at the highest level and show what they can do in Europe. It's a very positive thing for Dutch basketball. I think we have to enjoy it and show our talent. And for some guys, it might help them make the next step in their career.
Which team --or teams-- in this group you consider will be the toughest test for Holland?
I don't know which players are coming, but I just think that Croatia have a lot of talent, with [Bojan] Bogdanovic, [Ante] Tomic, [Damjan] Rudez, [Dario] Saric, the young kid from Barcelona [Mario Hezonja]. Like I said, we have nothing to lose, we have a lot to win. I think it will be time to work hard and enjoy.
What achievement would personally make you feel satisfied from this Dutch return to EuroBasket? What would be a win for Holland?
A win for us first of all would be that we play as a team and we play hard. Then that some young players develop, they progress in their career and continue to play in Europe, in Eurocup or Euroleague, so that Dutch basketball keeps improving. And the most important, that for young kids the Dutch national team is something to look up to and they dream that one day they play for Holland and they shine in Europe.
Door LuluHoops
Czech Basketball