The player who wanted to quit basketball and now leads the Spanish national team

BarcelonaThe Spanish national team is currently competing in the Eurobasket. One of the team's leaders is Mariona Ortiz, a Catalan who has received recognition later than other athletes. She made her Eurobasketball debut at 33 years old. "I didn't expect to be here. My maturity has gone hand in hand with my performance. Now I'm at a personal moment where I'm very calm," she explains.

The peace he's found at Casademont Zaragoza has been key to boosting Ortiz's career, and he's having a very successful Eurobasketball season. "I was coming off a very difficult personal time when I considered quitting basketball, and at Zaragoza, they believed in me from the very beginning. I wasn't sure if I wanted to play for a month or finish the season, but they made things very easy for me. They allowed me to start and see how I felt. They left the door open for me."

His mind moved away from the darkness, and everything fell into place. "With the peace of mind of being able to make my own decisions without any pressure, I found a good balance. Casademont Zaragoza is a very professional club. They give you the best conditions so you can perform at your best without any excuses. This, coupled with the confidence that coach Carlos Cantero gave me, helped," he explains.

On the court, Ortiz's role is to balance the Spanish national team's play. Off the court, it's to foster uncompromising values. "All I try to do is be the best player and the best person possible. These are important," he analyzes.

Ortiz has reached the elite more slowly than other players. The paths to becoming a star can be very different, and hers is one of the most inspiring. "When I was at the U-20 European Championships, I was awarded the prize for best European point guard. I received a lot of attention at a time when I wasn't ready. I got an offer from Perfumerías Avenida, but in retrospect, the path to follow was different," she admits.

The Catalan played in Girona, Zamora, and Salamanca before packing her bags to play abroad. Her destinations were Poland (Polkowice), Belgium (Namur and Castors Braine), and Hungary (VBW CEKK Cegled). "Going through everything I went through and having to go abroad has made me grow both as a player and as a person," she says.

Good practices in Zaragoza

Ortiz has become an icon in Zaragoza. "Casademont has worked very well on marketing and media. Our matches are always televised on Aragón TV. It's very difficult to follow something you can't see. We try to be close to the people. After each match, we spend as much time with the fans as necessary. All of this helps the community grow fond of us."

"The season has been very tough, both mentally and physically. We ended up playing almost 60 games, and between substitutions, injuries, and other things that happened, we had 18 players on the roster. This makes everything difficult because every time there's a change, you have to readapt and readjust. We were in the Euroleague and as runners-up in the Liga Femenina Endesa," Ortiz concludes.