TNT Sports
MVP Bodiroga key to title
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Published 12/05/2003 at 10:23 GMT+1
Barcelona coach Svetislav Pesic thanked his fellow Serb Dejan Bodiroga for turning the great under-achievers of European basketball into winners at last. Bodiroga inspired Barca's 76-65 victory over Benetton Treviso in Sunday's Euroleague final.
Eurosport
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Bodiroga scored 20 points, capturing eight rebounds and leading the side on court for all but two minutes.
Victory provided the Catalan club with a first European Cup win after five previous final defeats and sparked delirious celebrations from the crowd at Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi.
The European title is a huge achievement in Pesic's first season but the coach directed the plaudits at Bodiroga, who was also tasting triumph in his debut season with the club.
"To be a great team you need a player like Bodiroga," Pesic said. "Without someone great like him, it's impossible.
"Bodiroga also brings the best out of his team mates. He's always one of the best in practice, he understands basketball and he makes the team play."
Bodiroga joined Barcelona after leading Panathinaikos to two European Cup wins in 2000 and 2002.
He was named MVP after his performance in last year's final and his immense contribution on Sunday earned him a second successive award.
"We had to suffer to win this but, without suffering and pressure, you don't win things," Bodiroga said as he left the court.
"It's taken us eight months to get to know each other and to become a team and, in the end, it's come right with this win.
"I'm happy and proud because I know how long Barcelona have been waiting to win this. The supporters were fantastic and they deserve this title."
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