For twins Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivišić, helping Illinois to Final Four in reunion year an ‘incredible’ journey
· Yahoo Sports
INDIANAPOLIS — After Illinois’ Tomislav Ivišić hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key in an anxiety-inducing Elite Eight win over Iowa, the 7-foot-1 center backpedaled, raising his arms up and down in an effort to get the crowd riled up for a second-half surge.
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He didn’t need to tell brother Zvonimir to get excited though.
Illinois’ 7-foot-2 center sprang to his feet off his chair the moment Tomislav caught the pass and brought the basketball up to shoot. Zvonimir spread his never-ending arms out wide and brought them down in a celebratory boom.
Two games earlier, Tomislav had a similarly exuberant reaction to Zvonimir’s monster dunk from the free-throw line in a second-round game against VCU, claiming afterward he was more excited than his brother.
When one Ivišić brother makes a big play on the court, it’s usually worth a look to the Illini bench to see the reaction of the other.
The Croatian twins’ reunion at Illinois after two seasons playing apart means the Illini can most always have a 7-footer on the court, if wanted. It also means one is often watching the other one play from the bench, though both said they’re just happy to see the other succeed.
“I’m a really excited guy when he’s on the court,” Zvonimir said. “I want him to do his best all the time. I’m his No. 1 supporter definitely.”
Tomislav said he loves “seeing how excited he is, how much he can help us. Just seeing him happy on the court.”
The Ivišić brothers have had plenty to make them happy over the last month as they have helped Illinois to its first NCAA Tournament Final Four since 2005, which starts with a national semifinal against Connecticut at 5:09 p.m. Saturday (TBS).
The Illini will need the size, toughness, rebounding ability and defense of the twins and 6-9 forward David Mirković as they try to slow down UConn 6-11 center Tarris Reed Jr., who has been on a tear. Reed totaled 87 points and 54 rebounds in the first four tournament games.
“You’ve got to be physical with him from the start,” Zvonimir said. “You’ve got to be smart. You can’t relax around him. As long as he’s on the court, you have to be 100% in the game, focused, ready for a fight.”
When the Illini walked into Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday for their practice two days before the game, Zvonimir said he got goosebumps, in awe at the echoes circulating throughout the stadium. He took photos of the locker room, plastered with Final Four logos, and messaged them to family at home.
Being on this stage is a dream, he said, and part of a long journey for the twins, who played together their whole lives until two seasons ago.
Both were playing in the Adriatic Basketball Association League in Montenegro when Zvonimir decided to make the move to college ball to play at Kentucky for then-coach John Calipari. He was thought to have a higher ceiling at the time than his brother and also was more willing to make the first move, said Illinois associate head coach Orlando Antigua, who recruited him to Kentucky.
“Tomi is a little more traditional, moves a little bit slower on things, more intentional,” Antigua said. “Z is a little bit more of a free spirit.”
The next year, Tomislav decided to move overseas to Illinois. Antigua had rejoined Illini coach Brad Underwood, who liked the big man’s skill and shooting. Zvonimir transferred with Calipari to Arkansas, but he talked with his brother every day and was impressed with his growth with the Illini as he averaged 13 points and 7.7 rebounds last season.
When Illinois coaches wanted to reunite the brothers last spring by going after Zvonimir in the transfer portal, they made sure it was OK with Tomislav first. He said yes right away, and Zvonimir said it wasn’t a hard decision on his end either.
“That’s blood. They shared a womb,” Antigua said. “That part was easy. We just wanted to make sure it was something they wanted to do and it could work.”
Underwood said Tomislav missing time early in the season after having his tonsils removed and then suffering a bone bruise in his knee complicated things on the team’s end, forcing them to alternate them a lot.
But he still could see how connected they were.
“Their chemistry is unbelievable,” Underwood said. “Their competitiveness is unbelievable. They go at each other all the time. They’re very different people, even though they’re twins, and yet their synergy is really fun to see.”
The duo has said they grew up different basketball players, with Tomislav stronger and heavier and Zvonimir a better shooter, and they pushed each other to be better in those ways. They also have shown the Illini their differing personalities.
“Tomi is very stoic, very stern all the time,” forward Jake Davis said. “Z is a lot more fun and rowdy and goofy. But when you get down to it, they’re not very different at all. They’re twin brothers, they grew up together, you can see the similarities in them. … Great people, I love being around them.”
Statistically, on a retooled offense now led by freshmen Keaton Wagler and Mirković and transfer Andrej Stojaković, both twins’ stats are different than last year. The Illini have preached often during this tournament run that every player is willing to put the team before themselves, and Zvonimir added Thursday, “That’s why this group of guys made it this far.”
That has included the Ivišić brothers, though both have still made impacts.
Zvonimir’s scoring has gone down this season from last year at Arkansas, from 8.5 points to 6.6 in about two fewer minutes per game, and he has taken fewer 3-pointers. But his field-goal percentage is up to 51.2%. His rebounding is up to 4.6 per game, including 1.1 offensive rebounds. And his blocks per game have increased to two, giving the Illini a major defensive asset off the bench — and an energy boost.
Antigua said he thinks Zvonimir has grown mentally and physically.
“That’s always been a conversation, can you get him to become more consistent?” Antigua said. “And he’s been the best he’s ever been.”
Zvonimir said he feels more confident. Tomislav thinks the changes are visible on the court.
“He gained a lot of muscle,” Tomislav said. “Matured mentally a lot, works harder than ever.”
Tomislav, who is averaging 10.2 points and 5.6 rebounds with his minutes also slightly down, had a lull at the end of the regular season. But he has made a major impact in the tournament, totaling 48 points and 25 rebounds, prompting Underwood to say he “gets to a different place” in these games.
Both twins deferred to coaches when talking about their playing time and roles. Tomislav may be giving more offensive opportunities to someone else, and Zvonimir may have had the opportunity to play more elsewhere. But Zvonimir said they don’t really think about it like that.
“Whoever is on the court is on the court for a reason,” he said. “One can play better or worse. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. The only thing that matters is a win.”
Beyond their play on the court, Underwood said both have been key in paving the way for other international players at Illinois. They are two of five players with Balkan heritage playing for Illinois, and the Illini have a sixth, Croatian forward Toni Bilić, with the team but sitting out the season.
“Those two set the tone for the other guys from over there,” Underwood said. “And just their comfort of being in the States, even though Z wasn’t with us the whole time, they’ve helped ease some of the transition and the challenges that lie for the others.”
The Ivišić brothers won’t have their family in the building for the Final Four. Zvonimir said their parents remain in Croatia, but they’ll stay up late to watch the games, excited for their sons to be on the big stage.
Zvonimir advanced to the Sweet 16 with Arkansas last year but said this is an entirely different experience.
“Just being here with this team, everything is like 10 times better, 10 times more fun, 10 times more enjoyable,” he said. “It’s really special.”
Tomislav used the word incredible.
“We’ve been through a lot, a lot of ups and downs, played on the same teams, different teams,” he said. “We feel incredibly blessed that we’re here now together at the biggest stage and we have the opportunity to fight for a national championship.”