Lithuanian Mindaugas Kupsas’ thoughts were with the people of Ukraine as he was named import player of the month for February in Taiwan’s professional basketball T1 LEAGUE on Monday.
The 2.17-meter Kaohsiung Aquas center has been dominant inside the key all season and averaged 25.8 points and 15.5 rebounds in his team’s four games in February, three of them wins.
Kupsas was happy to be named import player of the month but said the most important issue now is to stop the Russian invasion of Ukraine so that Ukrainians can live in peace.
“All prayers and all thoughts are with the Ukraine people,” Kupsas said. “I just wish for world peace and for Ukraine people to be safe.”
Kupsas also told CNA, meanwhile that he would like to see Taiwan and Lithuania find a way to cooperate more closely on basketball, which he said would benefit both countries.
The 30-year-old Kupsas, who has been playing for professional clubs in Europe since 2008, believes that having coaches and team camps share each country’s training styles, systems and set plays could help players improve.
“Make more camps and travel to each other’s countries, and play more friendly games would be the best thing to do,” Kupsas said.
He has every right to say so, because Lithuania, which has seen closer ties with Taiwan since last year, has been a respected force in international basketball since winning a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona just after gaining independence.
“It is a huge thing when we go and participate in this event and the people are watching and they are supporting because they like wins. The basketball team wins, so that is why it is more popular in my country,” Kupsas said.
He thinks one of the key differences between the style of play in Taiwan and Lithuania is the pace of the game.
In Lithuania, he said, it is more of a team game with a slower pace but more strategy. In Taiwan, “everybody run like crazy, so it is a little bit different. There is a lot of one-on-one plays,” Kupsas said.
Speaking on his first stint in Taiwan, he commended the Aquas for creating a family-like atmosphere where players are comfortable in asking for help or speaking about anything.
“Yes, I’m enjoying it here, from the first day I came here. OK, quarantine was not fun, but after that everything was great. All the people are nice, team members are nice and like family. I can ask anytime about anything, they will help,” Kupsas said.
Meanwhile, TaiwanBeer Herobears captain Chiang Yu-an (???) was named player of the month for February, which is his second player of the month award after being given the honor in December.
Chiang averaged 30 points, 5.7 rebounds, 10.7 assists and three steals in his two games during the month.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel