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Quote:SEN/ESP - Senegal's Savane thrives in Canary Islands

GRAN CANARIA (2009 FIBA Africa Championship/ACB ) - Senegal international Sitapha Savane competes in the rough-and-tumble, extremely competitive ACB in Spain with Kalise Gran Canaria.

There are no easy games in the league that is deemed the toughest domestic competition outside the NBA by many observers.

Savane's experience in the United States must have prepared him well.

He followed in the footsteps of USA basketball great David Robinson and attended the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, graduating in 2000.

Savane, now 30, had to be focused to excel on and off the court at Navy where the demands are heavy for all students.

A member of Senegal's national team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, Savane gave this lighthearted interview to the ACB website.

What do you enjoy doing most, a dunk or a block?

Savane: I think I enjoy most doing a block because that intimidates the rival and conditions him for the rest of the game.

Gran Canaria is sponsored by ice-cream maker Kalise. Do you get to eat much ice-cream?

Savane: We went once to visit the factory and I thought they would throw us out considering all the ice-cream we ate and we took home! (Canada international) Carl (English) took more than the rest. He has a very sweet tooth.

What do you think of your compatriot who plays at Unicaja Malaga, Boniface Ndong?

Savane: Boni is great. He is a very good player, who still has a lot to give to his team. He is a great person and I am very happy to have him as my friend.

You went to the US Naval Academy and got a degree. How difficult was it to combine the studies and basketball?

Savane: I studied in the USA and there it's easier to combine both things. If you aim for it, you can achieve it. In my family, studies have always been the priority. I had no other option but to get good grades if I wanted to continue to play (basketball).

At what age did you start playing basketball?

Savane: I started playing rather late, at 15. Before, I used to play football, tennis and volleyball. What really drove me to basketball was watching the Dream Team in 1992 (Barcelona Olympics).

Sitapha, you attended the Naval Academy and in your junior and senior seasons, you were first-team all Patriot League after leading Navy in scoring, rebounding, blocks, field goal percentage and steals. Would you go back to the Naval Academy and what was that experience like?

Savane: Noooo! I am not a masochist. That was very hard. I am happy to have done it but only a mad man would do it again.