Huge match today in the capital. Lenovo Tenerife, third, seeks to hunt Real Madrid, leader with one more victory (15 by 14). The huge season of the insular team is once again embodied in the figure of the Georgian giant (217 centimeters) Gio Shermadini, who has just broken the ACB record for monthly MVPs. “It’s thanks to my club,” he insists. On the other end of the phone, with exquisite punctuality, answers a basketball player who is as good on the court as he is off it, extremely helpful, his perennial smile. Kind to more than power. A delight. English guides a conversation in which Shermadini recognizes the importance that Marcelinho Huertas plays in his development as a basketball player. The Brazilian base will be able to be his best partner to try what is not impossible either. “We have little chance of beating Madrid, but of course we’re going to try,” he insists.. Then the Intercontinental or the Copa del Rey lurk. In Tenerife he found happiness and the possibility of competing for both tournaments. “Life treats me well,” she reveals.
You lead the historical ranking of ACB monthly MVPs. Congratulations. How does it feel?
Thank you so much. It’s been a great season. Both the team and I are playing very well. Yes, I broke the monthly MVP record, I’ve done it 11 times. This is thanks to the club. They have helped me a lot, I have played a lot. Our coach has helped me a lot, as have the players. I feel very happy because the record is mine.
You celebrate 10 years playing in Spain. He was in Zaragoza, Andorra and Malaga, but his best level came in Tenerife. What has the Island given you to play at this level?
Spanish basketball is one of the best. There are the best teams, players and coaches. Everything is perfect. I love Spain. First I was in Zaragoza and then two years in Andorra, which is a special place. The second season was very good. We played the Cup and the playoff. The first season was not so much. After that I went to Malaga for two years, where I did not do badly either… After that I came to Tenerife, and in the first meeting they already asked me to be with them for many years (he laughs). The general manager (Aniano Cabrera) has helped me in everything, both to my family and to me. If they’re okay, so am I. Life treats me well.
This Sunday (18:30) you play against Real Madrid. What game are you waiting for?
Real Madrid is one of the best teams in Spain and Europe. They played very well in Monaco; It was a tough game but they won. Now we play against them and it will be difficult. We have had little time after the trip to Turkey after playing against Darussafaka. Yesterday (Friday) we trained but it’s not enough. We practice as a team and individually. We will do our best to try to compete and play well. We have little chance of winning but of course we are going to try. They have Tavares, who is one of the best players in the League and the Euroleague.
What does it mean to play against him?
Nothing special really. That is to say: I am going to play my game, it is important that I do so. It’s going to be a good experience for me to play against one of the tallest and best players in the league (laughs).
In the coming weeks his team has great challenges such as the Copa del Rey and the Intercontinental Cup.
In the Intercontinental we play at home, and it will be great especially because we will do it with our fans. It could be the first title of this season. Then we will play the Copa del Rey, and everyone knows that it is one of the best tournaments. They are not normal matches, they are special, different. Personally, my feelings are different when I play the Cup.
Enlarge
It is a special tournament, and they also start with the most special match, with the derby.
I feel happy, it is a competition that we have to enjoy. If we lose, nothing changes. You have to enjoy these types of matches, especially the derby (he laughs), which is the first. Gran Canaria is a good team and they also have a great coach, so we’ll see what happens.
They are not doing badly in the Champions League either. Is the goal to win it again?
This season is much more difficult than the previous one. Right now we are four teams in the group: Lenovo Tenerife, Murcia, Bilbao, Darussafaka. It will be very hard. It’s a small competition and we need to win as many games as we can. We have to win it or at least try.
It is impossible to interview him without asking about Marcelinho Huertas, his best partner on the field.
With him I am a better player. He is a point guard who has it all: he gives assists, he can score two or three points… He shoots for sure. When he has the ball we open up and play. In this team we are a big family with the president, the players, the coach. We all help each other and we are doing a great job and I hope we can continue like this and win many games.