Ioannis Sfairopoulos spoke after the fifth round game of the ABA League in which Partizan and Crvena Zvezda faced off in the ‘eternal’ derby.
Red and white suffered their second defeat in just four days. Following a loss in the EuroLeague, the outcome was 98-87 in favor of the home team within the context of the Adriatic caravan. In his opening remarks after the game, Ioannis Sfairopoulos analyzed the events on the court.
“We tried to fight and improve compared to the previous game. We started very well, concentrated, just as we wanted. We played good defense at the beginning and had good shooting percentages on offense. Unfortunately, after the start of the second quarter, we displayed the worst part of the game. We lost concentration, allowed easy points, and the ball movement was slow. We allowed Partizan to take a 20-point lead.
The good thing is that we reacted and came back. We managed to reduce the difference to just six points, but it wasn’t enough. Some things needed to be done better. My impression, as I also told the players, when you score 87 points against a very good team on the road, it’s because of defense. You can’t win games this way. We need to improve our defense; this is still a transition period for the players to adapt to different coaching philosophies.
We made some mistakes due to a lack of communication. It cost us and made the difference. We need to show progress in defense and be more consistent on offense, as we were at certain moments in this game,” said Ioannis Sfairopoulos.
Two matches in four days
“As I mentioned earlier, it’s clear that we are not satisfied. I am responsible for this, and I take responsibility. I believe in the team. Of course, there was a reaction, as seen at the beginning of the game. We had a better approach. We lost concentration in the middle of the match. The most important thing for me is to build a winning mentality.”
Is Joel Bolomboy injured because he didn’t play the last 13 minutes?
“He wasn’t injured; it was my decision. As you saw, Adam Hanga received an unfortunate blow in the previous game. The medical team is working on his recovery.”
Ioannis Sfairopoulos about backcourt line
“I have to talk about Teodosić and Shabazz. Yago is young, but he possesses quality; it’s his first time at this level, and he needs time to adapt. It’s up to him to get ready for the games. Our opponent has also found a solution for him. This is a matter of experience; he’s young, has potential, and was one of the best players on his former team. We believe he will continue to grow, and there’s no need for me to talk about Shabazz and Teodosic.”