Zeljko Obradovic congratulated Panellinios for its performance and spoke of a lack of concentration during the first half and of bad reactions especially in defense, speaking in the press conference after the encounter.
“Congratulations to Panellinios for its game. It performed fabulously for all 40 minutes of game time. In the first half we had certain bad reactions because we were not focused in defense. We had bad stats in threes, mounting 0-for-11 attempts. We had bad counteractions in defense and found ourselves trailing. The shots might have been unlucky to the basket but they were provided through well executed plays. Certainly the third quarter is what we hold on to when it comes to our defensive adaptation and our offensive coordination but also as far as the way we read the game, so much in mixed defenses as in man-to-man set ups, essentially reaching to victory.
Injuries led us to play in a scheme we are not used to, maybe though it was one of our best periods of time in both defense and offense. We can draw the conclusion that certain players are exhausted. We are entering though the most important period of the season. We must find great motivation once more, train well, because that is the key for the ensuing season.
And of course we need our players healthy; Once more congratulations to Panellinios because it too was facing significant absences. I would also like to say a great thank you to the fans that came to the gym and offered a huge helping hand. It is different when you have your friends support. They prove they believe in the team and that is very important for us”.
Kostas Kaimakoglou stated: “It was a special game because it followed a defeat by Olympiakos. We must proceed. With our performance we showed not to have left that encounter entirely behind us. From time to time we had certain good offenses but were unlucky to the basket. We did not play as Panathinaikos; we all admitted it in the locker rooms at half time and stepped back on court with greater energy. Congratulations to Panellinios because it played real good. We wanted to return to winning and good performances. We achieved half our goal. Only in the second half did we play well. It is not a competing issue. We must leave the game versus Olympiakos behind us, but this game also in order to advance. We have other game to play against them. We must regroup mentally and find our stride. There is more ahead… At this moment we are up against our first goal which is the Top16 and of course the games in the Greek League”.
Panellinios’s head coach, Thanassis Skourtopoulos, stressed: “We thank Mr. Obradovic and Mr. Itoudis for their kind words. It is an honor. We are in a difficult ranking in the Greek League, but we are very optimistic and I don’t think we’ll have a problem in the future. For us the second round will mean the begging of a new League. We are ready to get better results than the ones in the first round. Congratulations to Panathinaikos so much in Greece as in Europe. I am a great fan of their coach, he helps us become better and try to do new things on the game. I believe that in the third quarter we did not use our fouls correctly in order to cut Panathinaikos’s pace and stop it from scoring certain easy baskets. We performed exquisitely, we are on a streak of good performances and this makes me optimistic especially if one takes into consideration the fact that we have 8 players, 4 are sidelined and will be sidelined in the clash against Seville. We aspire towards performing positives steps and I believe we will make it down the road. I also would like to thank the crowd. Panathinaikos for sure was the beacon that lured them into coming to the court but I also believe that every one that attended watched an overall good game”.
Vassilis Xanthopoulos, a Panathinaikos ex-guard and top of the bunch for Panellinios stated: “We performed a great game, especially in the first half, where we were very good in defense but in offense also. Defensively we had to risk in certain cases, but there is no other way when you are facing such a team. We risked allowing certain shots and some penetrations, they missed hence we gained the lead. However in the second half, Panathinaikos’s players paced themselves, certain shots found the mark, shots that were unlucky in the first part, but nevertheless we held fast throughout the entire game into the clutch. We performed a good game and I hope we do the same thing against Seville. I hope we start off well in this Eurocup faze and continue well across from Iraklis, in a game where no other result is acceptable apart from victory. If we have good teamwork like today and are good in defense I believe we can win both encounters. I wish Panathinaikos all the best for the ensuing season in both Greece and Europe”.
*The players of the clover, but Zeljko Obradovic also were sent off, as many mainly children awaited them in order to get autographs and photos after the clash. An applaud of his very own awaited Thanassis Yannakopoulos as he entered the arena, awarded by Panathinaikos’s friends.
