Alba Torrens: “This National Team outlives us all”

Alba Torrens has made her debut at this Window as captain of the National Team. The new Valencia Basket forward debuted with Spain in the Beijing Pre-Olympic, in 2008a premiere that some of her current companions will have a hard time remembering. María Araújo, Maite Cazorla and María Conde were eleven years old at that time; Paula Guinzo, Irati Etxarri and Laura Peña, ten; and the youngest of the group, Raquel Carrera, only seven.

Only one victory separates them from the Eurobasket. Is this Hungary without Hatar less scary?

We still have a lot of respect for him. It is true that Hatar is decisive for them, but in the end we know that the teams are more than a player and they are doing well without her. We are trying to prepare it in the best possible way. It is a difficult challenge.

If he did not still have two other wild cards in the February Window against Romania and Iceland. Are these Windows a little watered down?

Not at all, I would almost say the opposite. It is a difficult moment, because we are each focused on our clubs and, suddenly, everything stops and we play National Team matches. For me the summer job (without a ticket for the World Cup, Spain concentrated in May) is helping us. In May we were already thinking about this November Window.

The match against Iceland, was it the perfect comeback a year later?

We are very happy with how the team responded, not because of the result, but because of the dynamics and the game. One of the goals we had was to focus on ourselves, on our work… and a good match came out. It is also true that we were very successful and we had fun. But this party is past; each encounter is a different story. What we have to stay with is the things that have to be redone.

Between the invasion of Ukraine and your debut with Valencia, you haven’t played for almost eight months. How are you doing?

It has been many months to be able to recover and balance my game. Right now I would not say that I am one hundred percent of what I can achieve, but one hundred percent of what I can give. I am happy with the sensations, with the recovery and with the games that I have started to play, but I am aware that I have to continue working to physically take one more step.

Due to the absence of Silvia Domínguez and after the withdrawal of Laia Palau, you made your debut as captain, how are you handling that responsibility?

Well, although sometimes I think “what would they do” and then I have it easy (laughs). The captain of this team is Silvia and I try to cover her position in the best possible way, but it’s not difficult at all with a group like that. There are many leaders in the team and that is our strength. But yes, some little message to Silvia falls…

You made your debut in the Beijing Pre-Olympic, 14 years ago, what do you remember from then?

That I was very excited: it was my first official tournament with the National Team, I shared a dressing room with Amaya (Valdemoro), with Elisa (Aguilar), with Laia (Palau)… I was where I had dreamed so many times.

Now she is the oldest and the National Team is characterized by its youth, I don’t know if she sometimes feels a little chive grandmother telling stories.

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I don’t count many, but some do have to be remembered. Yes, I am grateful and enjoying this moment a lot. I continue with great enthusiasm.

What would you say now to the Alba about that Pre-Olympic?

It would rather be the other way around. The Alba of 2008 would tell the current one that she never has to lose hope, to enjoy every moment and not to skip any step, to continue enjoying basketball. It’s a lot of dedication and work, but basketball continues to give me so much… Now you see things differently, but there are others that don’t change.

He has missed the last two Eurobaskets, one due to injury (2019) and the other due to COVID (2021). He will be looking forward to the next date.

Of course I’m excited, although before Valencia they asked me the same thing and look what happened (laughs). It’s a joke. I look at the Eurobasket out of the corner of my eye, but first we have to qualify. And then, to see if everything goes well.

Many considered her the successor to Amaya Valdemoro. Does she Dare to name hers?

There are no comparisons; each one makes its way. But this Selection survives us all; We each have our moment, but the team continues. Now we are seeing very young players who look like veterans. Something big is being built.

You have returned to Spain eleven years later, which league did you leave and which one have you found now?

In 2011 I left a level league. Yes, it is true that there could have been a downturn afterwards, but in recent years it has become one of the best in Europe. What I do notice is more visibility, more attention and more awareness of what can be done to continue with the professionalization of this sport.

How is your adaptation going? Does it help to have reached Spanish Valencia?

I am very grateful because they have made it easy for me. I already knew many players, but the club is behaving very well: because of the opportunity, because of the way they have received me… And for my part I want to work to adapt and help a group that had been formed for a few years now. I’m very happy.

Without the war, would you have considered going back to Spain?

You never know. Before they asked me when she was going to return to Spain and I did not know what to answer. At the time the war broke out, I did make the decision to return. I didn’t know what would happen next. When I returned to Spain the opportunity of Valencia came up. I had some other option, but for many reasons I felt that it was time.

His return to Spain was a true odyssey. How were the previous days?

There was quite a bit of uncertainty. We were seeing how everything was evolving and then we made the decision to return.

Brittney Griner was your partner for the last seven seasons at Yekaterinburg, do you know anything about her?

We all have the information that appears in the media. It is a very hard time and we are looking forward to everything being resolved as soon as possible.

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