Georgios Bartzokas spoke at the press conference after Olympiacos advanced to the EuroLeague Final with a victory over Fenerbahce.
Olympiacos reached the final for the first time since the 2022/2023 season, when they came agonizingly close to the title before being denied by Sergio Llull.
This is the fifth consecutive Final Four appearance for Olympiacos, and in the semifinal they comfortably defeated Fenerbahce 79-61.
(VIDEO) Olympiacos crushes Fenerbahce to reach EuroLeague Final
“Congratulations to our players and our fans for this performance. This was only the first step of the process this weekend. It was very important for us to play together as a team, and we did that from the beginning. We played great defense and stayed solid defensively for all 40 minutes.
Once we managed to control our emotions, because in the first half we overdid things a little, we started finding opportunities for open shots, whether from three-point range or around the basket. That was enough. Now we cannot wait for the final on Sunday.
I think every team builds confidence through the way it plays during the season. When one player trusts another, when you spend 15 to 20 days practicing at a high level and see how focused everyone is on their role, then chemistry becomes the key. We have 15 quality players, but the important thing is that everyone puts the team above themselves, and that is very positive for us.
Walkup set the tone. You could see him sacrificing himself in every possession defensively. In the first half we forced things offensively against Fenerbahce’s switches. We prepared for certain situations and did not execute them correctly.
When the game gets down to a single-digit margin, the start of the third quarter becomes very important. We immediately pushed the lead back close to 20 points, and any pressure we may have felt disappeared. Fenerbahce tried two or three times to get back into the game through Horton-Tucker, Biberovic and Baldwin, but to win games like this you have to go through many difficult moments. You need to stay solid and keep a clear mind.
The basketball that satisfies me the most is winning basketball. We won tonight and we are happy because of that.
I do not like using big words. It is too early to say whether this is the best version of Olympiacos. We need to evaluate our season after Sunday’s game. We are not arrogant. We are happy and satisfied, but our focus is only on the next game for now.
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You know Fournier. He is a player who always plays with his heart, no matter which team he represents. We have to accept the relationship he has with the fans and the team. Sometimes he makes crazy decisions, but that is who he is. He is a leader and a very emotional player.
Usually I have bad experiences in this arena because of the crowd reactions. Tonight was different. Panathinaikos was not playing, and our fans pushed us toward victory. I am very happy about that. When you carry responsibility, you do not really have time to think about those things. You have to stay focused on what is happening on the court. After Sunday’s game I will probably be able to say more.”
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