Ergin Ataman, the head coach of Panathinaikos, spoke to the media ahead of the match against Fenerbahce in the third round of the EuroLeague.
The Turkish coach reminisced about his time spent in the largest city in Turkey. He emphasized that there is a rivalry with the “Canaries” (Fenerbahce fans) but also praised the atmosphere in the “Ulker Arena.”
“For years, there has been rivalry with Fenerbahce, with their fans, not with the team. The atmosphere here is exceptional. We are professionals. It’s tough to win in this arena. I remember what happened in the playoff semifinal with Will Clyburn’s three-pointer, which brought us the title. We have a good record in this arena. Some of my teams have played very well here. It will be a tough match; Fenerbahce is a good team,” Ergin Ataman began.
He then addressed the injuries to the players, including those who were double EuroLeague champions with Anadolu Efes, highlighting that the “Greens” are having issues with injuries.
“During our preparations, we only had Luka Vildoza’s injury at the ‘Pavlos Giannakopoulos’ Arena, and we were prepared. Right after that, injuries to Papapetrou and Mitoglou followed, and they cost us, disrupting our rotation. In the last two games, we didn’t have Sloukas. Against Bayern, Papapetrou played, but now he’s out of the team again. That’s not good, and I don’t like it,” he began, and continued:
“If we weren’t a young team, it would be easier to find solutions. However, we are a young team, working with a new system, trying to understand each other. Every game, we make changes in the roster, and it affects us. However, there are no excuses. We have a game ahead, and we must play good basketball. The EuroLeague season is long, and we must find victories.”
Jerian Grant also spoke ahead of this match, emphasizing several factors important for winning against Fenerbahce in Istanbul. The former Turk Telekom player said they are ready.
“We will do what is necessary. That’s why we work and strive to improve. I know it will be crazy in this atmosphere tomorrow, but we will be ready. We’ve been following Fener, we know how they play, but we want to play our game and win. I will always play my game. My coach has shown that he believes in me, my teammates believe in me, and I will always do what they ask to help the team win.”