I’m Baskonia’s fan, and I’m writing this post to congratulate you for your last matches. I don´t know what would happen in the cup if you hadn’t been here for helping the team in the hard moments. I hope you enjoyed it, because is a competition that is worth it. Us, the supporters, enjoyed very much the party around the cup, the good atmosphere and the triumphs (although we also suffered more than we would like in the ends of the matches… hehe), and I hope you also had a good experience in the cup, in spite of we lost the final.

I have to tell you that here we like very much the players like you, who are involved whith the team and they do their best in the playground. I think you have already shown that you are one of those profesional players who are also interested in the place where they are playing, and that is allways wellcome (by the way, this kind of players are lately very difficult to find!!). Is not very easy to hear a player, who is new in the team, speaking about our culture and history like you have done sometimes. Is great that apart of coming here to play, you are also interested in what our team and culture represent.

I don’t know if you are leaving our team when James comes back, or if you will continue until the end of the season, but I tell you that many of us would like you to continue here for long time. You have brought us a part of that “Baskonia Character” that seemed to be desapeared in the last months, and that is really nice.

Finally, congratulations also for your blog!! My level of english is not so good for understanding every word you write, but what I have been able to translate, is very interesting. And by the way, I also have to apologize for my bad english, I don´t write as well as I would like.

Eskerrik asko Gabe , urte askotarako!

Shalom

(Eskerrik asko = Thank you very much)
(Urte askotarako =”For many years”; is a expression used in basque when you meet someone, like the “pleased to meet you” in english, but literally means “for many years”)

If you are interested in knowing something more about our customs, our language… you can ask me without any problem (it would be a pleasure to help you)

Thanks!!

PS: You met my parents last friday in Madrid. I won a competition and the prize was meeting all the team at madrid and tickets for the match. I let my parents go there ‘cos they’ve been big “Tau” fans for maaany years. They said all of you were very kind, funny and nice people. Thanks for signing the ball for me!!

Today is Gabe´s birthday. He is 30 years old. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Gabe´s team (Baskonia) is playing the King´s Cup.
Only the eight best teams from the Spanish league (ACB) take part in it.
King´s cup is a short playoff style tourment. Only one match. If your team wins , the team continues playing. If not , you must back home.

Unicaja (from Málaga) was the first rival for Baskonia.
Unicaja is a very good and competitive team (formed with very good players from Spain and with foreign players like Ndong or Marcus Haislip , for example) coached by Sergio Scariolo.
Scariolo was Baskonia´s coach years ago.
For this reason , and overall because this King´s Cup is taking place in Vitoria ; Baskonia was under a high pressure.

With only one minute and a half to reach the end of the game , Baskonia was one point under at the score… BUT Mouneke changed everything with a great three point basket followed by two free shorts becoming the hero of the night just when nobody hoped it.
(WHAT A GREAT PRESENT FOR HIM , and what a great surprise for everybody !!)

Baskonia´s next game (semifinal 1 ) will be on Saturday.

THANX GABE!!