ZVEZDA VS MACCABI: Red-and-Whites eye prime home-court opportunity!

Maccabi is a very tough opponent to prepare for. They are vastly different from the rest of the teams. They have a roster full of versatile players, possessing great athleticism, mobility, strength, and length. Their bigs can operate in multiple ways—they can pop out after setting screens, play the short roll, or dive deep toward the rim. Their wing players are solid defensively, but they can also create plays from the perimeter. Yam Madar is in great form right now, as is Jimmy Clark. They play a brand of basketball that differs from what we are used to, so a very demanding game awaits us.Ibon Navarro

I think he offers something different from what we already have in Ebuka Izundu and Johnathan Motley. That is why I believe he will be a great addition and will fit well alongside them. He might share similar athletic traits with Ebuka, but he has more size. I expect him to help us significantly on the boards and defensively, especially because his presence alone alters shots and poses an interior threat. That is huge for us. Offensively, he rolls quickly out of the pick-and-roll and moves exceptionally well. He complements what we have, rather than duplicating it.Ibon Navarro

He doesn't even know his teammates' names yet. He just started practicing with the group and is still getting to know everyone. If he sits down on Monday night to study and memorize all the names, we will see about Tuesday (laughs). I don't know yet. We have to be smart about it.Ibon Navarro

This is a tough loss, and when things start going wrong, problems tend to multiply. We are going through a difficult stretch. However, the energy in the locker room remains positive, and that is crucial. It is vital that we stay united and maintain our high energy levels, just as we normally do. We have to simplify things. We did manage to move the ball better. The season is long—this is only the third game in the domestic league, so there is no reason to panic. Everyone is committed to improving.Oded Kattash