Copa del Rey basketball: The love story between Bojan Dubljevic and Valencia

I arrived eight years ago at the club and has already become a historical foreigner: I want to retire here

The most Valencian of all the members of the staff that manages Jaume Ponsarnau it is Bojan Dubljevic, although born in Montenegro. There are few stories left in professionalism such as that of the burly ala-pvot, in love with the sea and the Levantine sun since the day he landed, all in 2001 from the Buducnost de Podgorica, a city and a club that idolizes him, that sings to him Dubi, Dubi! as if it were his tam tam to go to battle. It is the captain of Valencia Basket who is looking for the most difficult yet, to return to a Cup final, to continue raising his bet for the surprise at Carpena. If on Thursday he shattered the predictions finalizing Barcelona, ​​this Saturday (18.30, Movistar) intersects on the road to Real Madrid.

There are eight seasons of Dubi as taronja. And his name is undoubtedly matched to that of the best foreigners in the history of Valencia Basket. TO Bernard Hopkins, Brad Branson, They leave Tomasevic or Antoine Rigaudeau. He had siren songs and he still has them now that he has finished his contract. In his NBA day – Minnesota has his rights – but also of the greats of Europe. My dream is still to retire here, it has been pronounced in recent years and also recently to calm the staff (it is already negotiating the renovation). Because nothing is understood, neither outside nor inside the track, without Dubljevic, who bought a house in the city of Turia, where he lives happily with his girlfriend.

Without the second highest scorer in the history of the club (it only exceeds him Rafa Martnez), without the third in number of matches (on the hunt for Martnez himself and for Vctor Luengo). Although still 28 years old. Without the soul on the court, without the guy who made possible the biggest feat of Valencia, the ACB that lifted Real Madrid in 2017. His was an unforgettable basket, that of the second game, in the WiZink. When in the absence of 57 seconds, with a tie at 79, completely caged, two points were invented that made it possible for the tie to be resolved in La Fonteta, with Madrid already completely free. It was the basket of my life. I will never forget it, presumes the MVP of that League. The 2014 and 2019 Eurocup and the 2017 Super Cup complete their palmars.

Although the Cup is still the tournament that resists the Valencians, with only that twist of 1998 in Valladolid. In the collective memory, the final three years ago in Vitoria, precisely against Madrid. A thorn nailed to all. We were very close, we played a great game, but one such Llull He took a few triples out of the top hat, Jaume Ponsarnau acknowledged yesterday, not wanting to fall into victimhood or alleged controversies, despite insistence. And now you have awakened the beast, the Catalan technician joked precisely about one of the great dangers of his rival today.

Before Tavares for the rebound

Ponsarnau is worried about Llull, but also Campazzo, Causeur, Tavares… We are not with all the forces we would want against a team as physical and talented as Madrid. But I am looking forward, admit, acknowledging the diminished physical state of Guillem Vives, after a strong blow against Claver in the duel of rooms. He also arrived in Mlaga with Dubi ankle problems, but there he was against Bara, 13 points and six rebounds. As it is against the white towers, in his eighth commitment to a Cup that never wins Niksic. Trying to keep Tavares away from the painting, fighting for the rebound, holding as many times as a team that has made his great asset common.

Because the great thing about Valencia was to resist. As yesterday pronounced his technician, perseverance. His trmulo start of the year -12 defeats in 16 games-made the alarms go on, until the dismissal of Ponsarnau. It was a course marked by the return to the Euroleague and this passed bill. A few months later, that seems like a distant past. How did I survive? Having a plan, it was about persevering. Although we had to rebuild the roles. The good thing is that the team believes in this. But there is a lot of work ahead.

The growth taronja, seventh now in the Euroleague after having won 12 of the last 19 matches, including rivals as fierce as Fenerbahe or Panathinaikos, is not only present. With Dubljevic as a banner on the track has come the great transformation of a club that looks to the future, already lagging behind Madrid and Bara on the national scene, advancing on the right to Baskonia and Unicaja. Not only for sporting merits, but also for expansion plans. I have seen a fundamental impact that has been L'Alqueria, in the club environment, we are bigger now, it smells like basketball, Ponsarnau pulled chest yesterday, also mentioning the commitment to the women's team or that new pavilion to build that will definitely settle Among the continental elite.