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Ioannis Sfairopoulos, the head coach of Crvena Zvezda, shared his impressions at the press conference after the game against Partizan.
The coach of the red and whites has reasons for satisfaction, as his team established control from the very beginning and directed the game until the end. Despite the black and whites narrowing the gap to nine points in the final period, Crvena Zvezda managed to bring the game to a close and secure the win.
“I want to congratulate my players on this win, especially on the way they played in the first half. This is exactly what I believed we could demonstrate both offensively and defensively. I think it was crucial for us to play solid defense. We limited the best offense in the EuroLeague to just 72 points.
In our offense, we had good ball movement, knew where we wanted to attack. It’s very important that six players had double-digit scoring performances with 21 assists. That’s the level required to win a derby. I am pleased with the approach, this win belongs to everyone.”
“In the second half, Partizan tried to react and make a comeback. They narrowed the gap, but we controlled the entire game, and the way we closed out the match is very important. That’s why I want to congratulate my players once again. We can’t look too far ahead, only to the next game. It’s in less than 48 hours against Cedevita Olimpija.
Lastly, and very importantly, I want to thank the fans, they were incredible. They gave us great energy and helped the team as our sixth player. I am truly happy that together we achieved this win, as a gift to them,” said Ioannis Sfairopoulos.
“We still don’t know anything, they have just gone to the hospital for an MRI, so we will know more after that.”
“We don’t know if he will play. Are you a scout for Cedevita Olimpija? (laughter)”
“Taking into consideration the significance of this match, I think so. When I first arrived, we played against FMP, and then lost twice to Partizan. This win is important for the organization and the fans. If we look at the results, we’ve had even more crucial wins.
Such as the ones against Fenerbahce in Belgrade, Bayern, Fenerbahce in Istanbul. If we talk only about significance, then yes, but we’ve had even more important wins.”
“We executed the defensive plan for this game. They lacked movement in their offense, and also not many assists, which was our primary focus. They had only two assists in the first half. It is crucial how we approach both offense and defense.
We forced them to rely more on individual skills. In the second half, they played better, but we maintained control with smart play throughout the rest of the game. This is the best defensive performance of Red Star since I’ve been here.”
“I think we have talented players, and we don’t rely solely on individuals. As I mentioned, six players scored in double digits. Topic had a good start but got injured. Yago played well, and Teo is Teo. Nedovic was phenomenal, Gillespie, Hanga, Giedraitis, everyone played well. Davidovac can cause problems when he’s in form. We don’t have many issues on offense.
The key is to be consistent. Defense is much tougher. That’s the only thing we need to improve, playing a physically demanding game when facing aggressive defenses and staying calm. This was one of those games where we were very efficient on offense,” said Ioannis Sfairopoulos and continued:
“I don’t usually talk about individuals, this is a team win, but tonight I must emphasize that Freddie Gillespie was excellent. That’s why we signed him. He can defend all positions, and he can also score at the rim, grab rebounds. He gave us great energy in the paint.”