Simone Pianigiani shared his initial thoughts during a press conference after Cedevita Olimpija’s victory over Mega in the first round of the ABA League.
The Italian coach expressed satisfaction with the fact that the team from Ljubljana began the new season of the regional league with a win on their home court.
“This was a very good victory for us, and I am happy with what my players did tonight. Over the last two weeks, I’ve seen that we weren’t ready for the start, and I’ve been telling everyone how strong Mega is, with players who will become stars. My players were aware of that. They came in with a strong desire to showcase themselves against the best, but not everyone is in their best form” – he said.
After the introductory part, the former Montepaschi head coach reflected on the game analysis in Stozice.
“We played in various situations, tried out new things; for example, Scuka played at the four spot for the first time. We surprised them excellently in the first half, but in the second half, I told them it would be tough. They don’t care about the deficit; they play the best they can. We missed a few shots, made defensive mistakes, and they caught up. In the end, we played two or three good defenses when they imposed their rhythm, and we hit the winning shot” – said Simone Pianigiani, adding:
“Okay, we can talk about some open missed shots now, but this was an important victory because my players showed effort. I believe we deserved the win. It will take time for some things to ‘crystallize’ and there are many games ahead of us. Positive things will take time to come”.
The Italian coach mentioned that the team chemistry in the locker room is at a great level, and it’s one of the best things about the team at the moment.
“This is a positive aspect; everyone wants to help each other from the beginning. Jaka Blazic is our captain, and everyone joined the team during the summer; some played for national teams, some are playing in Europe for the first time. The chemistry is good, they were a bit nervous today, but they are all ready to share the ball and help each other. I’m glad to see this situation in the team” – he said.
Pianigiani also explained that there are no issues with Jaka Klobucar and that there will be opportunities for him in the upcoming period.
“We will work hard. I didn’t use Jaka Klobucar today, but I want to give everyone a chance. I will certainly use him in the future. Modern basketball is such that form, the system, and relationships are built during games”.
In the next round of the ABA League, Cedevita Olimpija will be visiting Crvena Zvezda, while Mega will host Borac from Cacak.