Turgay Zeytingoz, Sports Director of the Azerbaijan Basketball Federation commented on the year in an interview with Idman.biz.
- How would you evaluate 2024 for Azerbaijani basketball as we prepare to close the year?
- It was a great year for us. It marked the beginning of a promising future for Azerbaijani basketball. The league games were competitive, and our U18 boys and U16 girls teams won gold medals at the European Championship’s C Division. Additionally, our women’s 3x3 team made their debut at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. In short, it was a valuable year for Azerbaijani basketball.
- You mentioned the 3x3 basketball team. How does their Olympic participation benefit future generations?
- We were very proud of our team’s representation at Paris 2024. Beating the USA, the birthplace of basketball, and having everyone talk about Azerbaijani basketball was truly inspiring. The team had two foreign players, but it was a necessary step to achieve this result. Our goal is to have local athletes represent the national team, and I believe participating in the Olympics will be beneficial for the next generation. I’m confident in this.
- So, will the team consist of local players in the upcoming year?
- Marcedes Walker has left our team. Tatyana Deniskina and Dina Ulyanova are also older now. We’ve started planning for the future. Currently, we have important players like Tiffany Hayes and Brianna Fraser in our squad. I also believe that Aleksandra Molenhauzer will be with us for a long time. Moreover, we have some excellent local basketball players born in 2007-2008, who will help us soon. They are committed to raising our flag high. I believe in them.
- How do you evaluate the year for our main national team? Are you satisfied with the men’s team’s performance in the WC-2027 European qualifiers?
- We lost the last two matches due to unfortunate circumstances. We had serious injuries, with Amil Hamzayev and Endar Poladkhanli unable to play. We have two more games in February next year, and if we win them, we’ll have a chance to advance to the next stage. We will fight until the end. At the same time, we are also working on developing young players. I believe our main team will achieve successful results soon.
- How would you evaluate the year for the youth teams that achieved successful results?
- It would have been a more successful year if the U18 girls and U16 boys teams had won gold in Division C. Next year, our U16 and U18 teams will compete in Division B, which will be a challenge for us. However, it will be useful to see ourselves from the outside. If we want to improve our level, we need to compete against stronger teams in higher divisions. I expect good results from our basketball players.
- The 2024/2025 season of the Azerbaijan Basketball League is well underway. Have the 9 rounds so far met your expectations?
- The championship has been full of great and exciting games. No team remains undefeated in both groups. In Group B, Ganja, Ordu, and Sheki are competing for the top spot, and all three have a chance to win. The strongest team in Group A, Sabah, also suffered a defeat. In January and February, we will have matches for the Azerbaijan Cup, and I think the competition will be intense and open to surprises. Another positive aspect is the performance of Azerbaijani players in the league. Endar Poladkhanli, Shirzad Shirzadov at Sabah, Akbar Mammadov at NTD, Ismail Abdullayev, and Namig Huseynli at Absheron have had excellent seasons. Sadettin Donat at Sumgait, Kamran Mammadov at Neftchi, Nizar Guliyev at Nakhchivan, and Rashid Abbasov at Lankaran also stand out. We are witnessing both competitive and important matches for our players. I’m confident that this will continue until the end of the season.
- What innovations can we expect in Azerbaijani basketball in 2025?
- We aim to complete the league successfully. Our national teams will participate in the European Championships. We are also thinking of a different format for the youth league, which will be very interesting. We also have plans for changes in the U-12 league. I hope that in May, at the World Cup qualification stage of 3x3 basketball in Baku, we will secure a spot for the World Cup. I hope 2025 will be a successful year for Azerbaijani basketball, sports, and our country.
Emin Aga
Idman.biz
