Ergin Ataman and Ömer Yurtseven spoke ahead of tomorrow's home game against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (19/12, 19:45) for Round 17 of the EuroLeague.
The Panathinaikos AKTOR head coach stated:
"The second game during a double-week is always more challenging and risky. Following the first match, there can be injury issues or the need for treatments. We don’t have the opportunity to prepare a specific game plan for this one. Yesterday, we played well, we showed confidence, were aggressive, and received incredible support from our fans. It is crucial to immediately forget what happened yesterday and focus on the game against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.
They are a very dangerous team, with players who have great offensive capabilities like Markus Howard and Chima Moneke. This is a different team compared to EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. We need to be ready to fight for another victory. It is very important to end the first half of the season with 10 wins."*
Regarding the game against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, he commented:
*"Everything went well yesterday—not just our aggressive defense, but also on offense. Kendrick Nunn played fantastically in the first quarter. He essentially decided the game in that period. Of course, when you play at home, you need to bring that kind of aggressiveness. You need to play physical and show the strength of your team. We must replicate this in our away games as well.
Now, our focus is on being ready for tomorrow's game. It is a very dangerous one. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has an experienced coach in Pablo Laso. They just won an away game against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv. I am unsure about Papapetrou’s condition and what will happen. Kendrick had some issues as well, but I hope he will be on the court tomorrow."*
When asked if he considers Kendrick Nunn the best player in Europe, Ataman replied:
*"We’ll see who the best player of the season is at the end. Kendrick played incredibly yesterday, but speaking of tomorrow’s opponent, Markus Howard scored 27 points in an away game against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv. There are many great players in the EuroLeague. Kendrick is certainly one of them, but to be honest, the best player will be determined at the end of the season.
For me, the best player is always the champion! I hope we win the title, and one of my players, as happened last year with Kostas Sloukas, earns that honor. So far, there are many outstanding players."
Ömer Yurtseven shared his thoughts ahead of the game: "We need to be aggressive, just as we were yesterday. Starting strong is key. If we maintain our aggressiveness, everything else will fall into place. We must be tough on both offense and defense and not allow them to score. The first five minutes of yesterday's game showed exactly what we need to do tomorrow.
It will be challenging, but this is also about the mental aspect of the game. The most important thing is to come out aggressively—both on defense and offense. We also need to take care of ourselves. Defense is the first and most crucial factor. Whether you're playing against a strong or a weaker team, defense is what makes the difference.
This is a good point in the season for us to build momentum and start strong".
