André Bessa: “Winning titles in this shirt is indescribable” | OneFootball

Thomas Bropleh, André Bessa, Tanner Omlid and James Woodard gave voice to FC Porto’s basketball players’ celebrations after winning the Super Cup against Sporting, 80-76, at the Albufeira Sports Pavilion. Between the impact of the fans, the second-half response and the group’s unity, the Dragons savored the ninth Super Cup in the club’s basketball honors list. André Bessa summed up the feeling and assured: “Winning titles in this shirt is something indescribable.”

The derby required a comeback, but it ended with the National Champions holding the trophy. Thomas Bropleh, named the game’s MVP, highlighted his happy return to the club, André Bessa praised the bond with the stands, Tanner Omlid pointed to the collective spirit and James Woodard revealed the message that helped the team find itself again during halftime.

Thomas Bropleh did not hide the difficulties posed by Sporting, whose aggressiveness did not surprise Porto after the two preseason meetings between the sides. For the MVP, the response came when the team managed to execute what it needed to.

“The game was what it was. They came out very aggressive, but we had already played them twice in preseason and we already knew it was going to be like that. Those were two battles and we knew this one would be no different. In the second half we did what we had to do to get the win,” he said. “My return has been fantastic. I love Porto, which is an incredible city, and FC Porto, which is a very professional Club. I’m happy to take this title home in the first game of the season, and now we’ll see what else we can do during the season. You don’t win many trophies in life, so we have to enjoy every achievement. I hope this is the first of many.”

Bropleh’s comments combined immediate satisfaction with ambition for what still lies ahead. The trophy opened the season in the best possible way, but it was presented as a starting point, not a final destination.

Also back, André Bessa found exactly what he had been looking for: celebrating once again in an FC Porto shirt. Without losing sight of the work still to come, the player reserved an important share of his praise for the fans.

“It was also for moments like this that I really wanted to return. Winning titles in this shirt is something indescribable. We started the season in the best way and now we have to keep this work going,” he stressed. “As for me, I’ll keep working to help the team as much as I can. Our fans are always important and today it felt like we were playing at home. They were essential to our comeback.”

In Bessa’s words, the Super Cup mattered both for the achievement itself and for the bond it strengthens. Porto’s presence in Albufeira turned the stands into a competitive factor and accompanied the reaction on the court.

Tanner Omlid focused his analysis on the change shown after halftime. The poor start did not shake a team that, in his view, has maturity and knows how to keep fighting until the very end.

“It was a strange game, we didn’t start well, but the way the team responded in the second half says a lot about the spirit we have. We have a very mature team this season and the truth is that at halftime we had a great speech from James [Woodard]. He’s a good leader and it was good to hear him speak. It was a very tough game, but fortunately we managed to win,” he said. “Here at FC Porto, as we usually say, it’s until the end. It was special to win with our fans here, because their energy helped us a lot. It’s always good to have the support of our people.”

Omlid linked the comeback to two inseparable elements: leadership in the locker room and the energy coming from the stands. The second-half response thus became a picture of the spirit the group intends to carry throughout the season.

James Woodard took on the role of leader without turning his halftime talk into anything complicated. Facing a ten-point deficit, he called for unity, identity and faithfulness to the team’s game.

“It’s very important to start like this, winning gives you a lot of confidence. I’m very proud of the team and my teammates, we fought hard after being ten points down at halftime. It was very good to win this trophy, it’s for moments like this that we play basketball,” he explained. “What I told my teammates during halftime was to stay together, play our game and be FC Porto. As soon as we did all that, we won the game and the trophy, which is why I’m very proud of this team. We’re very united and we want to be successful this season.”

Woodard’s message summed up the turnaround in the derby: when FC Porto regained its cohesion and its own identity, it found the path to the trophy. More than the confidence that comes from starting with a win, what remained was the statement of a group that places unity at the heart of its ambition.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.