“If I didn’t believe that we could qualify, I wouldn’t be here.” stated the Vassilis Spanoulis at the press conference for tomorrow’s (2/8, 2:30 p.m.) match against Australia which will determine whether the National Basketball team can qualify for the quarterfinals.
Read about it: “Gift” from Canada to the National Team – The scenarios for qualification to the quarter-finals
“I have tremendous confidence in the kids. While in the first game we played brilliantly in the second half, we lost by one possession. Although in the second match we did not play well after the first 8 minutes against Spain, we again lost by one possession. For us the first medal is that we came to the Olympic Games. Let’s not forget this. Greece being at the Olympics after 16 years is a great success. Some overlook it. Some people find it easy. Maybe some people thought it was easy to beat Slovenia and Croatia. It’s not easy.
Our second medal is that we don’t let any match go to waste. Because if we let it go and didn’t fight, with the character we have, the game against Australia right now wouldn’t matter, because we would have a very big points disadvantage. So the second most important thing for me is that, whether we play well or not, we don’t let any match go to waste. We bring out a terrible character.
The third is that despite the combativeness, we have to stop chasing the score, start from the beginning and play well, because in the first two halves (vs. with Canada and Spain) we have not done well. To be better at finishing games, to be calm. Let there be no panic, let there be calm and faith, so that we finish the games better”, write down.
Regarding the condition of Nick Calathes, he stated the following: “Nick really wants to play. He is a tough kid, who has played injured many times. He can stand the pain. He’s taken an elbow to the ribs. We know it hurts, but we know it can’t get any worse. Nick tomorrow will give everything he has and doesn’t have to help the team. Like the whole team. It’s the best scenario we could have. When you’re in the Olympics and you have one game to qualify for the 8, that’s a blessing. This is why kids play basketball. That is why we are here, to compete and win such “knockout” games. It’s like a knockout game tomorrow.”
For the point difference needed by the National Team: “I don’t care about any difference. What I care about is that we do what we can and then win the match. Then we will see everything else. I think the worst thing an athlete can do when they enter the field is to think about the differences. What he needs to do is be focused on every possession. We have to trust the plan we have put in place and execute it to the best of our ability to have a fair chance of winning the game. We have confidence in our abilities. The first big jump for this team came when they played two knockout matches in Athens. We have a golden opportunity to do something that this team hasn’t done in 15 years.”
I have emphasized that teams are created, built, and then success comes. It is a success that we are here at the Olympic Games. If success comes from this year and we go to 8, welcome. This is what we all want. If he doesn’t come, this group of players and this core must stay the same, because as we see all the national teams have the same core for too many years. Teams are built, not created overnight. We must not be fireworks. There are no magic wands either. Things have to be built for success to come. May success come. For this we will give our hearts.
For the Australia game: “Transition is very important, Australia are the best team in the tournament in that area. He plays with a very high tempo, so we also have to play with a lot of energy. The transition will depend on our offensive rebound, but also on our own attacks. Because we say we didn’t have a good transition with Spain, but that came from the bad attacks. Something that found us unbalanced, that’s why the Spanish beat us there. We must make good and rational attacks, have a good offensive rebound and thus go further. From there the defensive transition begins.
To change things that haven’t been done for 15 years, you have to go beyond. Have a big win. Do we want to go somewhere without a big win? Sorry, but we can’t be told ‘go to 8’. We have to have a big win. If you can’t do it, you can’t go to 8. It makes sense. We have to make a breakthrough. The kids are ready, they really want it. We must all be together, in good times and in bad. We are the national team. We have to support the team and the good times and the bad.”
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