After the derby between Crvena Zvezda and Buducnost, Andrej Zakelj shared his thoughts on the game at the press conference.
Crvena Zvezda defeated Buducnost 95:79. After the game, Andrej Zakelj said:
Claim Now “I congratulate the hosts on a deserved victory. We played well while we had the energy. The third quarter cost us the game. Too soft on defense, we allowed some easy points. They had three or four shots after offensive rebounds, and that decided the outcome. Against a team like Zvezda, it is hard to come back. Our approach and desire were at the right level. Naturally, with a shorter rotation it is harder to handle the physical play, but they gave their maximum. We need to rest, analyze, and move forward,” said Andrej Zakelj, and he reflected on what is different in the team compared to last season.
“The team is different, we have five to six new players. We lost the top ABA league point guard and the top center. It’s not easy to replace them, but I think we have created, within our possibilities, a team with good character. That is the most important. Better or not better, it is within our possibilities. Whether it will be better in the end, we will see. We have a deeper roster than last season. We need everyone healthy to show it. Unfortunately, without two players, plus Sulaimon who tried, but it was hard. All teams have problems, so do we. We move forward with our heads held high.”
About Crvena Zvezda:
“They needed some time. Many new players. Everyone needs to adapt – players among themselves, to the new coach, and there are injuries as well. They clearly know what they want – in offense and defense. They can take over, and they did it against us. They have big bodies. That is the difference between EuroCup and EuroLeague. In strength, in speed. They play very well and deserve their position in the EuroLeague.”
About ambitions:
“They are the same in ABA League and EuroCup. I cannot make a distinction. I want maximum in every game. Naturally, the club’s goal is to try to go as far as possible in EuroCup. That is the primary goal, but I take ABA League very seriously as well. Both are very important to me.”
About Yogi Ferrell:
“The forecasts are that he will be absent a bit longer. We will see how long. It depends a lot on him. It is a slightly tricky injury and it takes time. I know him, when he has the green light, he will be on the court from day one. That win against Besiktas cost us. We lost both him and James Thompson.”
Only on Basketball Sphere can you follow free analyses and betting tips for all the top basketball competitions — including the:
- NBA Picks
- EuroLeague Picks
- EuroCup Picks
- FIBA Champions League Picks
- Liga Endesa Picks
- Turkish Super League Picks and more…
This season, we’ve added a wide range of special betting features to our portal, such as:
- EuroLeague Player Props
- EuroCup Player Props
- EuroLeague Acca of the Round
- EuroCup Acca of the Round
- Reddington’s Acca of the Day
A brand-new feature this year is our Numbers Game, tracking all the hottest trends in European basketball.
