Brose Baskets is Panathinaikos’ next Euroleague opponent. Teams will be coming up against each other tomorrow (February 1, 22.00, ET1) at the OAKA indoor arena in THY Euroleague Top16 Game 6. Argyris Pedoulakis, Panathinaikos Head Coach, held a pregame Press Conference this evening.
“We have a game ahead of us against a team which has fought at the encounters it has given, only exception the clash versus Alba Berlin on the road last week. Even over in Russia, even in the battle across form Unicaja Malaga it stayed alive in the game and tried its best to prevail. It is a team well molded in its offense, it bases efforts in its good passing game and it has exceptional shooters. It calls for our undivided attention. Moreover, they will enforce pressure, face pick and rolls in different ways, as also low post defense. We must be focused, read into their defensive tactics and strike them in the appropriate areas. It is a team which uses strength, fights as in any other sport and we must remain concentrated. The issue we had to face these last few days was Sofoklis Schortsanitis case, who has a tonsils problem and ran up a fever. Banks returned to training yesterday. We have four games to give in nine days and we must administrate this period of time, get through this“marathon” during which we will not be able to train at an intense level”.
Next and as far as Top16 results up to date go, he stated: “We try to take it one game at a time. This remains our philosophy. We have a tricky game versus Bamberg since derbies are on the menu next so we must keep our concentration intact. The results might be unpredictable. Exactly because the entire system is new, we see what comes not only in Euroleague but also in the national championships. We see results which we would have not seen under normal circumstances. I believe that it is a product of the players’exhaustion. Great example is the game CSKA Moscow-Unicaja Malaga. In Euroleague three–four minutes time is more than enough to destroy you. We experienced it too against Real Madrid when for five-six minutes we failed to act as usual, had no energy and paid the price of it. What you can do is have great depth in quality and experience. Teams that have it do exist but in Greece this season such a luxury is not approachable. And we are also faced with injuries. Having received the results from the medical exams, some guys call for attention and must be offered rest. Because when a player is injured, his issue is not the only one that must be dealt with but also his substitute’s issue, a player who gets worn down more. We try to offer rest to certain players in the Greek League, however it is easier said than done”.
When asked if Brose Baskets’ 0-5 wins makes Panathinaikos more assertive he stressed: “Under no circumstances. It is a team which fights at every game something which surfaced in games like with Uniaja Malaga or even CSKA Moscow when the matchup was ruled in the clutch essentially behind a pair of late threes. If you leave out the game across from Alba in all the other games it challenged the win. As it fought against Efes, Real… Maybe after 30’ its pace drops. It is a well structured team and everybody knows each other competitively on the court. Its performances are not random attempts”.
Numbers
Dimitris Diamantidis flew ahead from Pablo Prigioni on the list of Euroleague all time “burglars” and is now positioned in second place. He is only three steals away from the top of the list, position which is covered at the moment by Thodoris Papaloukas. The Panathinaikos captain is also only 3 blocked shots away from entering the centurion club. He will be the first guard ever to have accomplished it!
Kostas Tsartsaris is only 4 triples away from 100 nailed in his Euroleague career.
Jonas Maciulis has drilled at least one trifecta in every one of his last six Euroleague games, enjoying a 55.6% (15-for-27). He is also 10 points shy of 1,000 in his Euroleague career.
Stephane Lasme still leads Euroleague in blocked shots behind 2 per game. James Gist has at least one block in all five of his Panathinaikos Euroleague Top16 games.
Relations
Casey Jacobsen was Roko Leni Ukic’s teammate in Caja Laboral back in 2005-06, season in which the team got all the way to the Euroleague F4 and conquered the Spanish Cup.
Anton Gavel was teammates with Gaios Skordilis in Aris during the 2008-09 season.
