Split personalities: ''You either want to stay here forever or leave and never come back''

SPLIT (Croatia) - The name says a lot. There's no escaping from it. Because no matter what you do, if you are from Split, you remain a Split personality for the rest of your life.

Numerous comparisons exist between wars and sports, and this seems like an appropriate timing to play that card. Because back in November 1991, the city of Split was attacked from the sea. Okay, the country was at war. But this is a coastal place, being targeted from the sea sounds like something that's usually done in situations like that one.

But what's unusual was the fact that Split was attacked by Split. A Yugoslav frigate, part of the Yugoslav Navy, a ship named - Split. Split versus Split. A perfect metaphor to describe this specific mentality.

"Split state of mind would be hard to describe with words to foreigners," Luka Babic, Croatian national team player born in Split in 1991, tried explaining. "You need to live it. And, even then, it's questionable if you could understand it."

"YOU'RE EITHER AT THE TOP OR AT THE BOTTOM." - Luka Babic

Maybe the wider audience gets a chance to figure out that mentality during the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Split, with hosts Croatia battling Brazil, Tunisia, Russia, Germany and Mexico for a place at the Tokyo summit. Here are a couple of ingredients:

"All we need is a bit of fine weather, some sunshine, the sea, that easy-going rhythm, and a Hajduk win on a soccer pitch. But then again, we'll give you a lot of temper, complaining, saying how everything is horrible... and it goes round and round in circles. I don't think you can find anything similar all over the world," Babic added.

He is one of three current Croatian players born in Split. Ante Toni Zizic is the youngest one, and Roko Leni Ukic is the oldest one of the trio. Pavle Marcinkovic is from Zadar, but he just completed his fourth season with KK Split, Toni Perkovic is from Pula, but he spent the last two seasons with KK Split. Even coach Veljko Mrsic spent a period of his playing and coaching career in Split. A lot of Split personalities here...

"Split state of mind extends through more than sports. It's in everyday life, standing in lines, visiting the marketplace, going to the stores, anything - every single emotion is overemphasized. From euphoria to depression and back, all in a day. One day everything is perfect, and then nothing is working the next day," Ukic said while adding a good example of how the bad days work.

"One person gets on your nerves? You're not talking to anybody for the next two days."

You could only imagine the war and peace, power and poison, pain and joy of playing for a sports team from the Mediterranean gem of a city.

"I've somewhat felt it on my own skin this season, playing for KK Split. Although nowhere near as much as Hajduk players feel it... In short periods of time, you're either at the top or at the bottom, you go from thinking you could remain playing in your hometown forever, to thinking you'd leave immediately and never come back again. It's a tough place to play in," Luka offered.

Ukic is probably the perfect player to talk to about this yin-yang. He's been the rising star, the face of the future for both KK Split and the Croatian national team, he's been the face of the defeat, the man to blame, and now, on the brink of his 37th birthday, he's back to being a fan favorite.

"What's it like playing in Split? Well, you're either a local and living this way 100 percent, knowing what's going to happen all the time. Or you just ignore it completely. Don't even attempt to find some other way. It's not gonna work for you," Roko laughed.

With all that in mind, seems that Croatia will have six opponents during this tournament. The five other teams, and their own psyche on the day of the game. Will the pressure of being a host become even greater because Croatia are hosting this event in Split? What if the fans arrive on one of those bad days from the three scrolls above?

"These last six months, I've played here, in my hometown. Okay, we didn't have fans at our games in the arena, but I felt the fans' presence on every corner, before and after every single game. That's why I don't think the pressure of the checkered jersey (of Croatia) can be any bigger than the pressure of playing in yellow (of KK Split). So, for me personally, there is no extra pressure here," the Croatian national team captain Ukic said.

"It will all depend on the previous game," Babic added. "I believe the fans would mean a lot to us right now. Croatia is a specific country itself, and Split is even more specific within that same country. We've been without the fans for so long, I think they would lift us up for sure, because when we you feel this kind of euphoria, you're in euphoria for real. It's hard to play a bad game then. That's why I don't think we're under extra pressure."

If Luka and Roko's words are true, that would be perfect for Croatia. Playing without pressure worked perfectly for them not once, not twice, but thrice in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament history - back in Spain in 1992, in Greece in 2008 and most recently in Italy in 2016.

FIBA