Andrea Trinchieri, the head coach of Zalgiris, spoke at the press conference after his team’s win over Lietkabelis in the Lithuanian Basketball League.
Zalgiris recorded their sixth consecutive win, but the Italian coach wasn’t entirely satisfied with all aspects of his team’s performance.
“I am happy for the win because these games are played in a complicated part of the season. Right now, we are aiming for a lot – to surpass ourselves, to exceed limits. However, in terms of mentality, we took a huge step backward. We did what we had to – we were up by 15-16 points, we controlled the game, but then we relaxed.
We started making mistakes, some players really played tragically. It wasn’t just missed shots, but unforced errors, team disorientation, inadequate mood. Basketball is a very intelligent game, if you play without concentration, you bring shame to yourself and your team. It was a very bad example of mentality.”
About the game against Monaco
“I will go to the store and buy mentality. It’s not something you can simply buy, it’s something you work on throughout the entire season. We haven’t taken just one step back, but two. We have 72 hours to find the right mental attitude for a very tough away game against one of the best European teams. I believe everything is already on the table, that we will have the appropriate mentality, otherwise, we might as well stay home.”
Deividas Sirvydis
“Mentality, mentality, mentality… In the end, he missed tough shots, but we allowed him to open up the game by giving away unpunished free throws and silly turnovers. Similarly, with Orelik, we didn’t offer resistance, in the beginning, he easily touched the ball three times, felt the game. He’s a very good, experienced player, so he becomes a factor. We have to do the job from the start, otherwise, it’s already too late.”
The game was played on the second day of Easter
“I’ve played on Christmas, January 1st, on Easter. I understand the business rules, and it suits me. I understand that it’s good to play when people aren’t working and can come watch.”
Holidays in Lithuania
“I am in a good place, people are very kind, Zalgiris is a big deal here, I feel very good. Of course, I miss home a little, but my family has come here, so everything is fine,” finished Andrea Trinchieri.