The ‘Granca’, before his second great European opportunity | Sports

“We are not a modest team, we are an honest team,” Sitapha Savané (Dakar, Senegal; 44 years old), a former legend of parquet on the islands – eight seasons at the club, plus another three in Tenerife and six more between Menorca, Joventut and Estudiantes— and president of the entity since the end of September. This year, Granca turns 60, and to celebrate it they have given themselves the second European final in their history against Türk Telekom, after beating Joventut in the semifinals, also at home. The entity expects a full house at the Gran Canaria Arena this Wednesday at 8:00 p.m., island time. “It’s a historic event,” Taph continues. “The illusion is maximum, in the city and on the islands. We face it with a lot of pride, but also with a lot of ambition”. A victory would also give him a ticket for the Euroleague next year, a prize with a capital letter.

The Gran Canaria Basketball Club, founded in 1963 on the courts of a Catholic school, lived a golden moment between 2015 and 2018, years in which it played its first Eurocup final (in 2015, led by youth squad player Walter eddy Tavares, currently in the ranks of Real Madrid), was runner-up in the Copa del Rey after losing to Real Madrid (2016), won the Spanish Super Cup beating Barça (2017) and even participated in the Euroleague (2018 ). That was the first, and, for the moment, the last time that the best in Europe were measured.

In recent seasons, however, it has gone through a relatively turbulent period, which culminated last summer with the dismissal of President Enrique Moreno by the island’s Cabildo, the owner of the club. The island corporation claimed to have detected a certain disconnection with the fans. To correct it, he put a sports legend in the offices: during the 303 games he played in the domestic competition between 2004 and 2012 and between 2015 and 2016, Savané became the top scorer, rebounder and leader in assists in the team’s history . In March 2022, the team retired the number 7 in his honor. His commitment to Gran Canaria society also earned him the appointment of Adoptive Son of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 2016, and that of Adoptive Son by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria in 2019.

The appointment gave the Senegalese the opportunity to return to the team of his life exercising his other two passions: leadership and business management. “We are a club that has gone through a couple of turbulent years,” he explains. “When I arrived, I said that I had three pillars: union, identity and illusion.” Savané has placed special emphasis on the social aspect, with the launch of projects such as the Granca Commitment or the Suma Project. And he assures, financially, that the models managed by the entity show a surplus for this campaign.

The rudder turn seems remarkable. “Savané is making an effort to be close to the fans from the promotions to go to the pavilion to answering their questions on social networks,” explains Agustín Padrón, a journalist from Cadena Ser who has been following the team since the 1988-89 season. “The main change that Granca has experienced compared to last season is in stability; thanks to a president who has the support of the Cabildo as well as having a coach who is new to the ACB, but who has extensive experience as an international player at the highest level”. Three months before Savané’s arrival, the club had decided to replace Porfirio Fisac ​​on the bench. For this, he chose the Slovenian Jaka Lakovic (Ljubljana, Slovenia; 44 years old), a former Barça player between 2006 and 2011, a formation with which he won one Euroleague, two ACB titles, three Copa del Rey titles and two Super Cups.

The result of the decision, the first qualification for the Copa del Rey in five years (in which they lost in the quarterfinals against Lenovo Tenerife), the current sixth place in the Endesa League… and the final this Wednesday. “Between Lakovic and Savané they have managed to have a group that goes beyond individuality, with a wide rotation and that does not depend on a great scorer,” explains Padrón. “It also has the presence of youngsters trained at the club itself, the two centers, Olek Balcerowski and Khalifa Diop, players with a lot of room for improvement.” The main assets for the match are completed by the Polish-American guard AJ Slaughter, the Argentine forward Nico Brussino (the team’s top scorer) or the American power forward John Shurna. “With all that,” Padrón says, “this season they have become strong at home, where they have not lost so far in 2023 [el equipo ha ganado todos sus compromisos europeos en casa esta temporada]adapting and overcoming different types of party”.

“We have come a long way and we reached the final,” Jaka Lakovic reflected this Tuesday at a press conference. ”We are aware that it will be hard, but you have to put in the maximum effort. We can compete with our fans”. The public will respond, and the Gran Canaria Arena will register this Wednesday the biggest ticket of the season, with 9,000 seats already sold. “Everyone says that you have to enjoy the moment”, the Slovenian abounds. “It’s easy to say, but it’s hard to escape nervousness.” In front of him he will have a Turkish team “tactically rich, very physical and with a short rotation”, according to his own definition. The Turkish team finished second in the qualifying phase (behind Gran Canaria).

“What defines Jaka”, says Savané, “is the maximum demand and the maximum discipline. For this reason, at the moment he continues in the same routine as months ago, in which they have played two games a week. In these special moments, the routine is a sanctuary”. And whatever happens, Taph claims to be satisfied. “I didn’t think we were going to achieve so much in just eight months.”

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