Ben Kovac is in the middle of his second season with Patrioti Levice in Slovakia. The 23-year old player has entered his 4th season as a professional player this season. After winning the national championship title in 2022/23, the team had a strong start into the 2023/24 and is first in the standings with a 12:3 record.
„A season is always a journey of ups and downs, but the first part of the season has been strong overall. We played the Champions league qualification but had a horrible start into the game (0:20 after the first quarter), it is impossible to make a comeback on that level after such a terrible first quarter. After we were eliminated, we played in the Europe Cup and were able to win « just » two games with a limited roster because of some injury problems. Overall, we played well in that competition. Right now, we are on a 6-game winning streak and have a 12:3 record at the top of the league so that the season has started well and we can be happy with the results so far as a team. »
Our national team player plays over 26 minutes a game, he scores 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. „Because we have many injured problems, my minutes have been even higher than before. I started multiple games and played high minutes, but my coach wants me to come off the bench and bring energy to the court once the team is healthy and the rotation larger. When our captain suffered an injury, the team voted that I will be the new captain which gives me a lot of trust and is a reward for the work I have put in since my arrival in this club. »
Kovac’ role as a captain of the team plays also a big part in his overall development. „I try to guide the entire team which is a new challenge that I enjoy a lot. In my 4rd season as a professional player, I am trying to become better and better and this is a great place to be at this stage of my career. I am not satisfied with my 3-point shot so far and need to work on that but overall, I have played decent so far this season. I definitely feel great, my body has become stronger once again and I have gained confidence. »
The goals as a team are high in Levice: „It is obvious that the club wants to defend the national title and try to make the three peat, that is the clear mindset for everybody. We are first in the league standings and it is the clear goal to defend that place over the next months and enter the play-offs as the number one seed. Last year has been the most succesful in the club’s history and those are the high the standards that we are working with at the moment. Personally, I want to help the club achieve these goals and play my role the best way I can. Winning a national title is the most important goal next to staying healthy and getting better at my role as a captain. »
Picture: Patrioti Levice
