Fragkiskos Alvertis stated after Game 4 against CSKA Moscow at the press conference...
"We achieved our goal. It was an exciting game which went all the way to overtime. These games will enforce us and grow our confidence. We are in 2-2 and we are going to Moscow to qualify. We are going to do our basket, to be competitive, to play basketball. I hope we will do what we can on the floor. Regarding Game 4, it was a real battle. We managed to balance the rebounds and if we have made some shots, it would have finished easier for us. But it's over and tomorrow we are heading to Moscow".
About the reaction of the team after the 2-0 after Friday's game, he said: "If you have lived situations like this in the past, because I am not thrown into this team from nowhere, you know very well what these guys can do. Yes, the players have soul, talent and they give everything for the team. We have a long road ahead of us. We have quality offensively and defensively. The fact that Loukas is playing well is not something new. They all give everything and this is just an example".
Asked about 1/22 three points shots Curry and Bramos have combined, he replied: "Maybe in this part of the game they are not in good situation. It's not something that you need a scientific explanation to understand. When Bramos had 7/7 or 5/5 it still didn't need any scientific explanation. Everything is ok. If they are in a position to shoot 1000 times, they will have to shoot 1000 times".
Alvertis was informed that no team has ever come back from 0-2 to 3-2: "If we just believed in tradition, it would be better to stay here. What we want is to travel tomorrow in Moscow, to work on a couple of things and to play the same way in order to get the victory. Otherwise we would stop at 2-2. Tradition doesn't play basketball".
Finally, when asked if he was puzzled by the fact that Diamantidis played 35 minutes, he replied: "Whatever questions we have, we leave them aside. Things unravel rapidly and there is no margins for second thoughts. Definitely Dimitris played a lot and Wright went into foul trouble quickly".
Ettore Messina (coach, CSKA Moscow), stated: "It was definitely a tough game for both teams. Congratulations to Panathinaikos for the victory. The win could have gotten either way. It went to Panathinaikos and it's not the time to analyze anything. We have to get ready for Game 5".
Asked if he expected this 2-2 he replied: "I never expected that it would be easy to win coming here. We lost one game by 6 points and one in overtime. You have to come here and fight".
Finally, regarding Milos Teodosic's he said: "He is practicing in Moscow. We knew that his absence would be a serious one. We will if he is in a position to play and if he will finally play".
