Vojtech Hruban:
I've Reached A New Level Together With Nymburk

Nymburk has yet to lose at home and sits 4th in the standings with an 8-4 record. Team leader Vojtech Hruban spoke with VTB-League.com about the team's progress, coach Ronen Ginzburg's confidence in his play and the team's upcoming showdown with CSKA Moscow in Nymburk.

- After a strong start, Nymburk lost three straight in November. What happened?
- We really did got off to a great start after an excellent preseason. Some might say we got lucky with the calendar. But in November we had to play four straight games on the road and only won once. We were playing against tough VTB United League clubs, plus we had to overcome some injuries. But if you don't count the game against CSKA, we were competitive every time out and hung around until the final minutes. We also got a little unlucky at times.

- Did you feel better once you snapped the losing streak in December?
- We felt responsible to our fans. After our road trip, we didn't want to let them down at home. In the end, we managed to defeat Bisons, which absolutely gave us an extra dose of confidence.

- You've been a big part of Nymburk's success. What's been the key to your solid play?
- There are several factors. Credit goes to the coaching staff and my teammates. Ronen Ginzburg gives me a lot of playing time and keeps me on the court in big moments. I've got complete freedom from the head coach and my teammates get the ball when I'm open for a shot. I feel like this could be a breakthrough season for me and give my career a big boost. Right now, I'm trying to give everything I have and help the Czech Lions win. 

- How did the team react to Ronen Ginzburg's return as head coach?
- He had coached us for a long time before that. We know Ronen well and we knew exactly what to expect from his return. At the same time, I think that Kestutis Kemzura did an excellent job. We played up-tempo basketball and moved the ball well on offense. Kemzura laid a solid foundation for future wins.

- How have the Czech fans reacted to Nymburk's success in the league?
- After our wins, there have been more fans in the stands compared to last season. It's great to see.

- On Sunday, you face the reigning champions, CSKA. What should we expect from the game?
- As you know, Nymburk hasn't lost yet at home. We don't want that streak to end! Right now we want to prove to everyone, above all to ourselves and our fans, that we can compete with the Army Men.

- You weren't able to keep it close against CSKA in November. What was the biggest reason for that?
- We took a risk by playing up-tempo, aggressive basketball from the opening tip, but CSKA turned out to be too much.

- Given the standings, what's Nymburk's goal for the season?
- Our goal has always been to reach the playoffs. Right now we have a realistic chance to do that. During the second half of the season, we play a lot of games on the road. There are some tough games coming up for us, but I believe that we'll achieve our goal.

- During the last five games, your scoring has dropped. How important are personal stats to you?
- There are reasons for everything. I scored a lot of points when several players at my position were injured. I had to play almost 40 minutes per game and took a lot of shots. Now everyone's healthy and our play has become more team-oriented and balanced. But I think there will still be a few games where I get hot!