Meet the senior players (and XI): Alfons Alzamora

"The structure and level of training in Basketball Girona are not the usual ones at EBA, but much higher"

| Wednesday, 02 May 2018

Alfons Alzamora (Palma de Mallorca, 1979) needs no introduction. He arrived at Basketball Girona after a long career at the highest level, with thirteen seasons and 358 games in the ACB and the last six in LEB Or. His record includes a Euroleague, a Korac Cup, two leagues and a cup, won with FC Barcelona. In the image, on the outskirts of Fontajau, in Ribes del Ter.

-How did you find this season in Girona?

“Very well. We would have liked to extend it a little longer and compete in the promotion phase, but it was not possible. I think that, in general terms, the assessment of the season must be good. It was the first year and the “the team has competed and always worked at a good level. It’s a shame that there was some irregularity that hurt us in terms of results.”

-Why did you decide to join the Girona Basketball project this year?

“It was a combination of circumstances. My partner came to play in Girona [Núria Martínez, at Spar Citylift Girona] and we decided that I would come here with her and pray to play more professional basketball. I then had played in Lleida, in LEB Or. In pre-season, I asked for permission to train with the team to keep fit. And one thing led to another. It wasn’t something I was looking for. They were missing a player, they had some injury in the interior game and the fact that there was Quim Costa as a coach, who I know how he works because I had him, and Àlex Formento as sporting director, made me get more involved. And I signed.”

-Your experience has been very valuable for the young people in the team.

“Not only here. I had already developed this function in other teams, even in a subsidiary. I tried to contribute my experience, both in the day-to-day training and in tense situations in the matches. I tried to help them and I hope to have contributed in some way to their training and evolution as players.”

-You came from LEB Or. Did you find it hard to adapt to the EBA League?

“Logically, the competition is different and the technical and physical level is not as high, but in the end it is basketball. In any case, the structure and the level of the coach and the training in Basketball Girona are not the usual EBA , but much higher. And maybe that made it easier for the adaptation to be very fast. I tried to do the best I could.”

-All the players have always highlighted the positive atmosphere in the dressing room. You have experienced many in your career. What did you find there?

“An excellent atmosphere, both among us, the players, and with Quim [Costa]. I think that the club has not only wanted to sign good players, but also good people and they have succeeded. The level of involvement and commitment from everyone has been very high and this has been seen on the court. In the bad moments or at the beginning, when we didn’t know each other yet, we already demonstrated this ability to all go together, in the same direction. This is a positive value and one that should be highlighted a lot.” 

A place in Girona to get lost in:  The old part

The last book you read:  “The Power of the Dog,” by Don Winslow.

One  hobbies :  Reading and going to dinner with friends. 

A life motto:  Enjoy the good times.

A sport, aside from basketball:  Handball. 

The greatest basketball player in history:  Larry Bird, because he didn’t have the physique of the other two greats,  Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.

A dream to fulfill:  Form my family

A team:  Basketball Girona.

A film:  “The Godfather”.