Throughout the upcoming EuroCup season, The Sports Rabbi will ask 5 questions to a journalist ahead of Hapoel Jerusalem’s games concerning an upcoming opponent. This week, we ask veteran Spanish journalist Jordi Agut about Manresa who will tipoff with the Reds on Tuesday in Israel’s capital city at 8pm.

Why has Manresa had a tough start to the season?
Several factors came together. On the one hand, the roster changed almost completely: eight new players were signed and important players left, such as Derrick Alston (Virtus), Cameron Hunt (Joventut), and Mario Saint-Supéry (NCAA–Gonzaga). In addition, in June the club changed its sporting director, as the previous one—who had built the strong teams of recent years, Xevi Pujol—left for Baskonia. Biel Colominas arrived, with no prior experience, coming from Eurohopes. Diego Ocampo, the head coach, also missed half of the preseason because he was serving as head coach of the Czech national team at the EuroBasket.

Despite winning the Catalan League in the final against Joventut, the team started the season with a very difficult schedule in both the ACB and the EuroCup. For eight consecutive weeks they had two games per week, and Baxi is not a club accustomed to that pace. In addition, some pieces did not work well enough (center Izaw-Bolavie was loaned to a second-tier team), and there were several injuries (Plummer, Knudsen…). The combination of all these factors meant that the team reached the FIBA window under a great deal of stress.

With 2 wins in a row in ACB and 3 wins in a row in EuroCup is there are sense that Manresa is starting to play up to their potential?
Yes, because things changed after the FIBA window. The team had a few days to train, and the players took advantage of that time to come back stronger. However, Alfonso Plummer was transferred to Bosna, and the player who was supposed to replace him, Breein Tyree from Igokea, never ended up arriving. In addition, Dani Pérez was injured against Hamburg and Hugo Benítez against Cedevita. The team was left without point guards and suffered a heavy home defeat against Barça.

But Pierre Oriola had already arrived, signed from a team in Mexico with which he won the league (this is his third stint at the club), and two weeks ago Eli Brooks (Trier) and Ferran Bassas (Andorra) joined the team. In the last two league games, as well as against Cedevita and Śląsk Wrocław, the team has been very competitive, playing the way the coach wants. It should also be noted that most of these opponents are not like many of those faced at the start of the season and, therefore, it is more possible to win.

What are your thoughts on Diego Ocampo and his style of play?
Diego Ocampo’s style is even more radical than Pedro Martínez’s. There are many possessions, with shots taken—if possible—within the first eight seconds of the shot clock, a lot of defensive intensity, constant running, and heavy physical wear on both the opponent and his own team. That is why his substitutions are continuous and he needs the entire roster to be ready.

The main problem he had at the beginning of the season was rebounding. The centers he signed—Golden, Akobundu-Ehiogu, and Izaw-Bolavie—are weak in this area. The signing of Oriola, who is already a starter, has helped him a lot, as has the support of Álex Reyes, who, despite playing as a small forward, is the team’s leading rebounder. With the defensive rebound secured, the team can run more. He will not change his style because, moreover, it is what the Manresa fans enjoy.

Who have been the club’s most important players especially with the turnaround the past month or so?
The best player of the season so far has been Álex Reyes, the most consistent throughout the entire campaign. Hugo Benítez was also playing well until he got injured. Akobundu-Ehiogu (nicknamed Kao) is very spectacular playing above the rim, but he has major problems defending big centers and securing rebounds. Right now, he is the third center in the rotation. Olinde also has class, but he has struggled with injuries and, so far, the disappointment has been Grant Golden. The Manresa fans are not very happy with him.

In recent weeks, Pierre Oriola’s arrival in the paint has been very noticeable, and even though they have only been playing for two weeks, the impact of Eli Brooks and Ferran Bassas has been significant. Brooks played very well in Wrocław; in Burgos he played with a fever, and in Zaragoza he also stood out for his defense. Bassas has put together two straight 10-point, 10-assist games. He is very reliable and highly experienced. In recent days, Agustín Ubal has also stepped up—a very talented shooting guard/small forward from Barça’s youth system. He is from Uruguay and has already played for four ACB teams, being relegated with the last two. Baxi have given him a 2+2 contract, and he now finds himself facing a major opportunity. He has been performing very well in the most recent games.

Tell us about what Retin Obasohan has meant to the team?
Obasohan is a leader on the team, even though he is not one of the three captains. Those roles are held by Dani Pérez, Reyes, and Steinbergs. Last season he already showed his commitment by playing many games while injured, dealing with plantar fasciitis and a fractured nose. He did not go to the EuroBasket because he said he was suffering from physical fatigue, but he has returned in good shape.

Although in most games he has played as a shooting guard, due to needs and injuries he has also played as a point guard. At the beginning of the season he had problems with free throws, with a couple of games featuring many misses. The FIBA window helped him, as he returned from national team duty shooting more accurately. He sets the defensive tone, although this often leads to foul trouble, especially in the ACB.

Off the court, he is one of the most beloved players. Always friendly, always attentive—especially with children—and always smiling. He renewed his contract with a team for the first time in his career and is fully settled in; you can tell he is happy in Manresa.