Pic credit: Basketball Champions League

Elijah Mitrou-Long (185-PG-1996, college: UNLV) is a 27 year old 185cm guard from Ontario, Canada that is playing his fourth professional season and first with Peristeri BWin Athens (Greece-GBL). He also has played with other Greek teams AS Apollon Patras, PAOK Thessaloniki and Aris. He also played with Levski Sofia (Bulgaria-NBL) and the Niagara River Lions (CEBL). He played at 3 NCAA schools with Mount St Mary´s University, the University of Texas and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. He spoke to after Peristeri won a do or die game on the road against the Telekom Baskets Bonn.

Congrats Elijah on reaching the Basketball Champions League Final 4. How excited do you feel right now? What does this BCL Final 4 achievement mean to the organization? Only 5 years ago it was still in the Greek second division?

This means a lot but we haven’t done anything yet. We got 1 game at a time. But we are blessed and grateful for the advance in the BCL

Despite the tough game 1 loss in Bonn how was the mood of the team? Did you sense like you guys were still on a mission?

Yes we are always on a mission to be better until the season is over. No matter who we play. It is about us and who we are when we come to play it is not about anyone else.

After making a statement in game 2 with a 28 point win at home, you came back to Bonn and won. Did you guys just want it more?

Yes we wanted it more but Bonn is a respectful club and organization that is why we couldn’t come ready or else we wouldn’t be ready for the game. We didn’t care about the game at home because we knew that they are a good team.

despite down 7-2 in the first quarter you came back with a 25-10 run to lead by 10 points. How confident were you after 10 minutes that no matter what happened, you weren´t going to lose this game?

We are confident in the work we put in and the position we put ourselves in in the BCL. We need to just worry about ourselves and I didn’t know the end result about losing or wining but I know we were ready for a battle from Bonn.

In the second quarter the Telekom Baskets Bonn came back with 26 points. Especially Harold Frey was hard to stop with 9 points. What did Peristeri get away from on the defensive end?

Defense is the key to everything and weathering the storm of Bonn.

In the second half you did a good job as a team to manage the lead, but in the fourth quarter Bonn came back to trail only by 3 points. What was key to staying cool in a hostel environment?

We made the right plays down the stretch of the game and believed in the work you put in and also kept the Faith of God that everything will workout

In the end what was key for 40 minutes for the win? Was it the poor 2 point shooting of Bonn at 36% and the good Peristeri defense that got you the win?

The key was defense and staying calm when things got crazy. Yes, we wanted them to take tough 2’s and run them off the line.

As usual Joe Ragland was a real floor general leading the way with 21 points. What do you appreciate most about his play?

He is a true PG. Veteran who had been in every situation before. He knows how to control things and we have confidence in his abilities

You had a very solid game with 15 points in 21 minutes. What is like playing for a legend in ex point guard Vasilis Spanoulis?

It’s great experience playing for one of the greatest players to ever do it in this game. To see him want more than he has mostly everything is inspiring to us. Have to listen to what he says he knows what he knows, his knowledge is key.

You next will play the winner of Tofas-Tenerife. Do you have a favorite that you would like to have in the semi´s?

We don’t care who we play. They are both great programs but at this point it’s about us an nobody else.

Thanks Elijah for the chat.