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Nele Laurimaa: We should play harder and better!

23.12.2015
Nele Laurimaa. Photo: basket.ee

 There`s nothing impossible if you start from Tartu. Take Merike Anderson for example. Temperamental guard moved all the way up to the EuroCup Women final and EuroLeague Women.

 

 

It`s not about winning only. It`s about getting better and trying to be as good as you can be. It`s about good sportsmanship and learning from each other.

 

Nele Laurimaa`s collection of five best performances – she averaged a team high 46,7% scoring percentage inside the three point line, made 2.9 steals, registered 0.6 blocked shots, scored 16.6 points and earned the best efficiency rating 16.7 – are matched by only Kadri Uiga.

 

You won your first game at the Latvia-Estonia league, beating the Latvia U16 team. How hard it was?

It was very hard. It should have been easier, because we played quite bad that day. We should play harder and better.

 

It was the full court defense which caused some trouble for you during the third quarter. What your coach told you to do in the second half?

Just to play, dribble, move the ball and play one on one. To play simple and make simple plays. And a bit of zone defense.

 

Coach said that five girls are studying. Are you studying as well?

I`m studying physiotherapy. This is my third year and two more will come. I have played for Tallinn University before (2012-2013).

 

Where you started to play?

My basketball school is SK Marcus and my first coach was Marek Koitla. He was coaching at the Tallinn University for some time alongside Kersti Sirel. And then I moved to Tartu.

 

As most of the girls are studying in the high school, you are one of the most experienced players.

It`s rather difficult. I`m not used to this. Usually I was one of the youngest girls in the team but I have to get acquainted to this role.

 

That`s why the first win was important for you.

Yes, it was. We try to win more games and try to get better every game.

 

What are your goals?

We want to win the third place in Estonian league. It was too difficult to advance in the Estonian Cup as we played against current champions 1182 Tallinn. We`ll see.