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Zach Hankins and Mareks Mejeris – Photo Credit: Dov Halickman<\/p><\/div>
\nJust ahead of Jerusalem\u2019s semifinal clash, Mejeris sat down with The Sports Rabbi at the team\u2019s practice court at the old Malha arena as we looked ahead to the win or go home contest, growing up in Latvia and being a part of the national team, his time with the Reds thus far and the excitement that is building ahead of the big game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are happy to go to the Final Four and this is what we were aiming for and talking about this for most of the season as a goal and as to where we want to be. We\u2019re getting more excited with everyday that goes by. <\/p>\n
As to why the team been so good this season and what the secret recipe may be, Mejeris wnet straight to the top with his explanation, \u201cThe coach. He\u2019s the maestro of the team and the one guy who is leading us and we are following. I\u2019m happy that this team has improved as every week has gone by in the season. At the start of the season if we had a problem we might have lost the game or even a few, but now we are going to fix it as a team or a unit in a few minutes. That\u2019s how we have progressed through the year and how we have figured out to work as a team and trust each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the unique characteristics of Jerusalem is how the players have all sacrificed a part of themselves as individuals for the betterment of the collective, the team as a whole, \u201cWhen you winning it\u2019s not so difficult as it comes down to wins and losses at the end of the day which determines the success of the season. At the state of the season each player is trying to establish their ground and trying to prove themselves. At this point, the balls have all fallen into place and it just happened and usually after six to eight months after the season begins it should happen naturally but we were able to reach this point by the end of December when we really started picking up the pace and playing better. We figured out who does what and we really started playing better.\u201d
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Chinanu Onuaku and Mareks Mejeris – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman<\/p><\/div>
\nUnfortunately for the teams and its fans, the Final Four will take place in Malaga and not in Jerusalem which was originally the first option for the crown jewel of the competition. But the 31 year old is taking the disappointment in stride, \u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate, but as a player it\u2019s just an obstacle that we can\u2019t change as to where it\u2019s taking place and we will just go to where it\u2019s taking place. There\u2019s nothing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
In one game winner take all games it all comes down to 40 minutes of basketball that will see who the victor will be which means Mejeris\u2019s Jerusalem will need to have a solid game plan that can give them the best chance to win against a highly regarded opponent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s only one game and sometimes in these games the tactics are secondary. It\u2019s mostly about the will power and how much you want it. How much are you willing to sacrifice in this one 40 minute game because if it\u2019s a series you can see how it goes first game then second game and so on. Now you have to put all out from the opening seconds of the game and keep going like this for all 40 minutes. I think we have a really good chance to play well and if we do that we area a really good team and a string team and we are heard to beat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Basketball has been a part of Mejeris ever since he can remember although he may not be fan per se, but one who enjoys participating in all different types of sports, \u201cI was around the basketball gym every since I was a kid as my mom played for a college team and when she went to practice I went with her. I was rolling balls on the sidelines and I started when I was one basically. I wasn\u2019t much of a basketball fan and not so much a sports fan. I like to play sports but not as much watching them. I didn\u2019t really follow the NBA or the Euroleague growing up and I only really started watching after the age of 20. Before that it was just really about having fun.\u201d
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Mareks Mejeris – Photo Credit: Dov Halickman<\/p><\/div>
\nAfter having featured for his local home town team of BK Liepaja Lauvas, Mejeris made a serious jump to playing in Spain which was certainly an eye opener for the youngster, \u201cIt was different than living at home and I had heard a lot of stories about how difficult it would be to be away from my family especially in the first year. But it worked out for me and I didn\u2019t feel lonely at any point. Those three years made me live a grown up life and I took care of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Early on in his career, Mejeris headed to the United States where he took part in NBA workouts for a number of teams including the Detroit Pistons. But as he explained he was a bit in over his head, \u201cIt was somewhat unexpected and at first I was sent there and had practices with the agency. From there we had practices in front of NBA scouts and GM\u2019s and they saw something interesting in me and wanted me to go to practices with teams and one of them was the Pistons. It was a great experience but back then I wasn\u2019t ready at all. I was a kid from a small town who played a little bit in Spain. That level was too high at that point as everting was new and wow. I was not ready for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mejeris has been a part of the Latvian National Team program for many years and this coming summer he will be battling it out for a spot on the squad as they ready for the World Cup, \u201cThe Latvian National Team has been a part of me since 2010. It\u2019s something that has been part of my yearly routine and it\u2019s always great to play with the National Team as it\u2019s fun and a different type of basketball. This summer we are playing in the World Cup for the first time and it will be a fight to make it into the roster because everyone will want to be there. It will be intense and high quality basketball and I think that we can do well and have some good things happen.\u201d
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Mareks Mejeris – Photo Credit: Yehuda Haickman<\/p><\/div>
\nThe big man began to really make inroads in his club career when he played for Latvian powerhouse VEF Riga where he was able to compete year in and year out for titles and trophies, \u201cMy career really grew during my time at VEF as I started as a role player and became the team captain and leader of the team. It gave growth to my personality and my ability as a basketball player and helped me become who I am now. Many of these lessons are ones that I use here to help the guys and try to help the young guys get from a junior level to becoming a more mature player.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mejeris has played under a number of top level coaches including Luca Banchi who is the coach of the Latvian national team, his former coach at Parma Kazys Maksvytis and of course his current bench boss Aleksandar Dzikic who all bring their own unique style to the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day they are all human beings who are doing their job but I can take something from everyone as they each have a different philosophy. You try and take as much as you can, learn as much as you can and accept as much as you can. Each one has a totally different personality which gives one a special feeling and gives that unique feel.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Mejeris played for Parma during the height of COVID-19, his team played in Israel against Nes Ziona in the Europe Cup semifinal which saw his team lose in heartbreaking fashion when Wayne Selden drilled home a game winning 3-pointer.
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Mareks Mejeris – Photo Credit: FIBA<\/p><\/div>
\n\u201cIt was a great experience but unfortunately he hit that shot. We weren\u2019t 100% at that moment as we had a number of injuries and we were up by a couple of points late in the game and we were really hoping to go to the final. The one thing I hate about Final Fours is that you have to play the third place game which is a miserable feeling. As a professional player you have to put the emotions aside and keep playing which is the tough part.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mejeris signed in Jerusalem after a conversation with Coach Dzikic and he has easily acclimated to the city and the coach\u2019s work ethic, \u201cEverything in Jerusalem has been great and the team has been as well. The club takes care of everything we need and the city is just great. Everything has been professional and it\u2019s one of the best places that I have been.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs for coach\u2019s practices, they are not so bad and I was looking for something different because of his passport but it turns out that he is not and old school Serbian coach. It\u2019s been great and he\u2019s not killing us too much but it\u2019s still hard and we put a lot of work in every day and I like it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Back in February, Jerusalem and Mejeris captured the Israel State Cup with a win at home over Maccabi Tel Aviv which was a high point at the time as they work their way towards their other season long goals. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Cup thing is really for the fans and of course it\u2019s great to win something, as a win is a win and a cup is a cup. But it\u2019s midseason and nobody prepares for this. So it\u2019s an achievement on the way and it\u2019s great but at that moment every team is still under construction. The season is something you prepare for many, many months, but it was a great feeling and the game itself was great with a great atmosphere and great basketball.\u201d
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Mareks Mejeris – Photo Credit: Yehuda Haickman<\/p><\/div>
\nIn order to advance to the Final Four in Malaga, Hapoel needed to get by AEK Athens in a series that saw a lot of emotions from both the fans and players, \u201cIt was a rollercoaster. The way we started in the first game and then how it leveled out. Then the game away, it was tough but it helped us become a stronger team and a better team that was able to deal with problems even better. I hope that this experience will help us in the Final Four in Malaga with the problems we will have to face during the game.\u201d <\/p>\n
Jerusalem supporters to the rune of 4,000 will be packing the arena in Malaga with the chance to win the big prize, a European title for the first time since 2004, \u201cI didn\u2019t know so many would be joining us and that\u2019s great, The fans really give us a boost and drive us. It\u2019s always better to play with fans who will cheer you so it\u2019s an extra energy pack for us. They will push us and without them it\u2019s tougher.\u201d <\/p>\n
Of course, Tenerife will be no easy opponent as the defending BCL champ will want to hold onto their crown, but Mejeris feels that Jerusalem has the right formula to win the game, \u201cWe have to just give it our all from the first minute. Coach has said all season long that when you are on the court don\u2019t think about the next 5-10 minutes but the next play and for the next one minute give it your all. From there you\u2019ll see how it will go.\u201d <\/p>\n
As for the thought of hoisting the trophy at the end of the competition, Mejeris sees this as a special opportunity and one that could be a once in a lifetime achievement, \u201cIt would be great and that\u2019s the goal. It\u2019s always nice to achieve the goal and that\u2019s what it is. It would be a dream come true.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hapoel Jerusalem is readying this week to face Tenerife in the opening semifinal game of the Basketball Champions League Final Four on Friday which will be taking place in Malaga. This will be the first time that the Reds will be playing in the last stage of FIBA\u2019s top European competition as a champion will […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":86498,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[4165,5090,96,5167],"class_list":["post-86496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-holy-land-hoops","tag-bcl","tag-final-four","tag-hapoel-jerusalem","tag-mareks-mejeris","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n