Basketball: Gran Canaria play in Fuenlabrada Saturday at 5.30 pm

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Cajasiete Gran Canaria are playing away at Partizán de Fuenlabrada on Saturday at 5.30 pm Canarian time.
Coach Bruno Savignani is calling on his team to maintain consistency throughout the full 40 minutes and has warned them about the heated atmosphere.
Savignani singles out the Brazilian and former Gran Canaria player, Vítor Benite, as a particular threat in Fuenlabrada's attack.

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Cajasiete Gran Canaria’s coach, Bruno Savignani, has called for the team to «improve the basics» in order to remain consistent throughout the 40 minutes of the match and to «be aware of the challenge» involved in beating Partizán de Fuenlabrada at the Fernando Martín Sports Centre.

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At the press conference ahead of this Saturday’s match, at 17:30 Canary Islands time, the Brazilian sought to dispel any talk of favourites and pointed out that «it doesn’t matter what has happened or what people think» in a FEB First Division season that is «very long»: «It’s nice that it generates excitement and confidence, but we have to be aware of how long the league lasts».

Despite the strong performance in the victory over Alimerka Oviedo Baloncesto (108-69), he emphasised the need to «establish daily routines» to achieve greater consistency in attack and defence, so as to be able to «have more highs than lows» and avoid a poor first quarter like the one in the match against the Asturians. «We’re not at 100 per cent, but we’re better than we were last Saturday,» he added.

Cajasiete Gran Canaria: Savignani warns of Fuenlabrada's attacking prowess

«Every match has its own story and its own factors. This is a tricky match, because Fuenlabrada are coming off the back of a misleading result (a 96-82 defeat to HLA Alicante). What happened to Fuenlabrada will have nothing to do with what we’ll see. In Fuenlabrada they put the pressure on; I like a lively atmosphere and we’ve prepared the players as if that’s how it will be. We have to stay focused for the full 40 minutes to win,» he warned.

Speaking about the Madrid side, Savignani has warned that Partizán de Fuenlabrada are opponents who «play well» and are capable of scoring freely, with «top-class» players such as the Brazilian Vítor Benite – a EuroCup champion with the Claretianos – Iván Cruz and Goran Huskic.

Bruno Savignani has said that the Rio de Janeiro-born shooting guard is «a great player, person and friend» with whom he has shared «many moments of basketball», although he pointed out that he is a scorer who is «difficult to stop and capable of scoring in many different ways»; he therefore urged the team to play physically and stay alert so as «not to lose sight of him for a single second».

In fact, Gran Canaria played a pre-season match against Fuenlabrada – a game that «we should take into account only to the extent necessary», but which serves as a briefing on the players and their individual characteristics when it comes to curbing Fuenlabrada’s potential.