Zeljko Obradovic speaking in a press conference about the game against Lottomatica Roma that is scheduled to be played tomorrow in OAKA for the 3rd game of Top16, referred to the game as “crucial”, underlining the belief that the fans of Panathinaikos know it. Obradovic talked also about something that makes the game special: The presence in Roma of three ex players of the “clover”: Bodiroga, Gentile and Becirovic.
“It is a really important game for us, like every game in this phase, especially after the win in Spain . The fact that Roma is 0-2 in the first two games puts pressure on them.. They want desperately to win, in order to stay alive in the competition. We have to play a good game, to be aggressive in defense from the first to the last minute, to have smart choices in offense”.
Obradovic talked about the way Roma is playing: “They have too many choices in offense, starting from Becirovic and Jaaber, who are instrumental for Roma. Sani can also go close to the basket, something that we can see also Rodrigo de la Fuente doing during the game. Giachetti is a point guard who plays very aggressive defense, trying to press. It’s the way Roma likes to play. They go to full court press that’s coming to man to man or to zone defense. Datome is an excellent shooter and they have plays for him, as well as for Hutson and Brezec, the most important player in their inside game. Hutson can play both as 4 and 5, while in 4 they have also Gigli, Gabini. Gabini can be a threat also from the 3point line. They have too many choices in offense. It will be essential for us to play strong in defense”.
The three familiar faces of the Italian team were mentioned next by Obradovic: “It is really interesting that we are going to see three ex players of Panathinaikos, who offered so many things in this team. I don’t have to say much about Bodiroga, how many things he has given to Panathinaikos and how much the fans of the team love him; something that goes for Gentile and Sani too. It will be nice for the fans to see all three of them once more here. I believe that the fans will be next to us, since I am sure that they understand very well how important this game is, how much we need their support”.
Obradovic referred to Gentile as coach: “Roma has 9-0 in lega basket, since Gentile took over as head coach. I am not in a position to compare how Roma played before Gentile, to the way the team plays now. The one thing I can say is that the way he was as a player, can be recognized in the way his team is playing, in the way he is coaching. I think that this will be the first time to coach against one of my former players, although some of them are coaches like Katash, Sasa Obradovic, Koch, Nicola, Orenga, Cornelius Thompson, Angulo, Djordjevic…”
Before concluding, Obradovic talked about the games to come. “We have two wins in two games and we control the situation. Our fate is in our hands. We have experience. We know that the best to do is to keep in our mind only the next game. Nothing else. Now we have to think about Roma. Not the games that will follow. We don’t want to put pressure on the players, by making scenarios. We have a tough schedule ahead of us, but the best we can do is to focus only to next game. We have strong practices and I believe that we are ready for another tough game”.
