Panathinaikos AKTOR is gearing up for the first double-game week of the EuroLeague season, with two consecutive away games against Paris Basketball (15/10, 21:30) and Real Madrid (17/10, 21:45). Upon the team's departure for Paris, head coach Ergin Ataman and player Jerian Grant spoke about the upcoming challenge against "Cinderella" of this season's competition.
Ergin Ataman stated:
«Now we have two away games. First, we need to focus on Paris Basketball. Although they are new to the EuroLeague and have lost two games, they are a team with great potential. They lost in the last seconds against Crvena Zvezda and played well against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Paris is a very dangerous team, and T.J. Shorts is the key player in their offense. This will be a very important game for us because I believe that throughout the season, playing against Paris Basketball on the road will be challenging for every team. Therefore, it is crucial for us to win this game».
Regarding how dangerous Paris Basketball might be as a "Cinderella" team in the tournament, Ataman added: «All games are dangerous for us. The same applies to our opponents, because when they play against Panathinaikos AKTOR, the European Champion, it is always a special game».
Commenting on the fitness of Omer Yurtseven ahead of the game, Ataman mentioned: «He's fine. Yesterday, he followed an individual program and told me he felt good. I believe if he doesn't experience any issues during today's practice, he will be available for the game».
Reflecting on Panathinaikos AKTOR's progress and their recent performance against PAOK, Ataman noted: «The motivation for the EuroLeague is different. We played well at certain moments in Berlin and against FC Bayern Munich. As for the domestic league, we saw similar challenges last year, especially after EuroLeague games, where many teams struggle in their local competitions. Against PAOK, we lacked motivation, playing in an empty arena, and our individual performances were not at their best. However, I don't think this will affect us in the EuroLeague, where there is a different level of motivation. In two large arenas, our players will feel greater responsibility and will be more motivated. We will get better day by day».
Grant: «You must be ready for every game»
Jerian Grant added: «Every game is important; you can win or lose, so you must be ready, especially in the EuroLeague. Paris Basketball deserves to be here, and we will be ready. From what I’ve seen, they play very fast, so we must be defensively prepared to deal with that».
When asked about Panathinaikos AKTOR's progress, Grant responded: «We are gradually getting to where we want to be. We're not where we will be by the end of the season, but we improve every day and every week».
