EuroLeague Regular Season, March 16 games preview
Anadolu Efes-Maccabi Tel Aviv, Panathinaikos-Real Madrid, Bamberg-Fenerbahce, Olimpia Milano-Red Star
ANADOLU EFES - MACCABI TEL AVIV
Record 13-12 vs 9-16
Referees Christos Christodoulou, Luigi Lamonica, Milos Koljensic
Anadolu -
Maccabi out Goudelock, Miller
Velimir Perasovic «We expect a tough game like all games that we had until now in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv is a team which changed a lot compared to the first half of the regular season. They play fast basketball now and play in a more disciplined way. The key of the game for us will be stopping their fast breaks and the situation of one on one defense».
Ainars Bagatskis «Every game is important, we prepared as usual and we still have a chance to get in the playoffs. I always believe. Efes is a big-sized team and we've had issues with that this season, but we will try to compensate, play patient and use the situations that will be presented to us during the game. We will try to do our best in the last 5 games. Like Che Guevara says: 'Things that are not possible, even they are possible».
PANATHINAIKOS - REAL MADRID
Record 14-11 vs 19-6
Referees Ilija Belosevic, Matej Boltauzer, Amit Balak
Panathinaikos questionable Calathes
Real Madrid out Nocioni
Xavi Pascual «Maybe Real Madrid is the best team in Europe at the moment, they play great basketball, with great players. We know it’s going to be a tough game for us. We want to play well and wish that our fans will come to OAKA and support us. Now it’s the time for our team to be united, players, coaches, all of our fans and do the best that we can».
Pablo Laso «Panathinaikos is a high-level opponent who is in the playoff spots right now and whose coach, Xavi Pascual, knows us very well. They made life difficult for us in the Madrid game and they are trying to secure their ticket. It will be a difficult game for which we will have to be focused from the first minute. We have our own goals, and we want to secure home-court advantage, so we have to be competitive. Being in this situation speaks well about how we work, but this game won't be any easier because of that».
BAMBERG - FENERBAHCE
Record 9-16 vs 16-9
Referees Sreten Radovic, Ioannis Foufis, Carlos Cortes
Bamberg out Strelnieks, questionable Veremeenko
Fenerbahce out Sloukas
Andrea Trinchieri «We are playing a Final Four contender. A team that kept the same core and lost the EuroLeague for one missed box-out. So, for sure, the level of difficulty is the highest, but still it’s highly motivating to play such a team, such kind of coach, players and organization. Everything is big with them: the size, the contacts, how hard is for you to score. We need to be really, really crisp on offense and on defense to find a solution. They are a team that puts you in front of new challenges. We need to be very good in using our system with a couple of adjustments».
Zeljko Obradovic «We play against a team that plays excellent basketball. In their last game in Istanbul against Efes was a very, very good game, offensively and defensively. We must understand that they are a team that lost, if I remember correctly, six games just by 1 point. So their position in the standings is something that is very wrong. They are a team that belongs in the playoffs for sure. It will be a tough game for us».
OLIMPIA MILANO - RED STAR
Record 7-18 vs 14-11
Referees Daniel Hierrezuelo, Olegs Latisevs, Clemens Fritz
Olimpia out Dragic, Kalnietis, Simon, Fontecchio, Tarczewski
Red Star -
Jasmin Repesa «We face a Zvezda team who will play with great determination becuse they are in the middle of the playoffs race and any win for them is essential. The last couple of games in the EuroLeague didn't please me. So I'm asking for a very intense game, when we haave to show pride because we are indebited towards our fans who never abandoned us».
Dejan Radonjic «We travel to Milan to show our best. We realize that both teams have some problems with injured players, but we also know that Armani played lot of very good games in front of their fans. They showed that every team in this EuroLeague plays with high motivation, despite their lack of chances to qualify. They showed great quality in games against Olympiacos and Darussafaka, so we must play hard, motivated, and at our highest level to try to be competitive in this game».
Record 13-12 vs 9-16
Referees Christos Christodoulou, Luigi Lamonica, Milos Koljensic
Anadolu -
Maccabi out Goudelock, Miller
Velimir Perasovic «We expect a tough game like all games that we had until now in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv is a team which changed a lot compared to the first half of the regular season. They play fast basketball now and play in a more disciplined way. The key of the game for us will be stopping their fast breaks and the situation of one on one defense».
Ainars Bagatskis «Every game is important, we prepared as usual and we still have a chance to get in the playoffs. I always believe. Efes is a big-sized team and we've had issues with that this season, but we will try to compensate, play patient and use the situations that will be presented to us during the game. We will try to do our best in the last 5 games. Like Che Guevara says: 'Things that are not possible, even they are possible».
PANATHINAIKOS - REAL MADRID
Record 14-11 vs 19-6
Referees Ilija Belosevic, Matej Boltauzer, Amit Balak
Panathinaikos questionable Calathes
Real Madrid out Nocioni
Xavi Pascual «Maybe Real Madrid is the best team in Europe at the moment, they play great basketball, with great players. We know it’s going to be a tough game for us. We want to play well and wish that our fans will come to OAKA and support us. Now it’s the time for our team to be united, players, coaches, all of our fans and do the best that we can».
Pablo Laso «Panathinaikos is a high-level opponent who is in the playoff spots right now and whose coach, Xavi Pascual, knows us very well. They made life difficult for us in the Madrid game and they are trying to secure their ticket. It will be a difficult game for which we will have to be focused from the first minute. We have our own goals, and we want to secure home-court advantage, so we have to be competitive. Being in this situation speaks well about how we work, but this game won't be any easier because of that».
BAMBERG - FENERBAHCE
Record 9-16 vs 16-9
Referees Sreten Radovic, Ioannis Foufis, Carlos Cortes
Bamberg out Strelnieks, questionable Veremeenko
Fenerbahce out Sloukas
Andrea Trinchieri «We are playing a Final Four contender. A team that kept the same core and lost the EuroLeague for one missed box-out. So, for sure, the level of difficulty is the highest, but still it’s highly motivating to play such a team, such kind of coach, players and organization. Everything is big with them: the size, the contacts, how hard is for you to score. We need to be really, really crisp on offense and on defense to find a solution. They are a team that puts you in front of new challenges. We need to be very good in using our system with a couple of adjustments».
Zeljko Obradovic «We play against a team that plays excellent basketball. In their last game in Istanbul against Efes was a very, very good game, offensively and defensively. We must understand that they are a team that lost, if I remember correctly, six games just by 1 point. So their position in the standings is something that is very wrong. They are a team that belongs in the playoffs for sure. It will be a tough game for us».
OLIMPIA MILANO - RED STAR
Record 7-18 vs 14-11
Referees Daniel Hierrezuelo, Olegs Latisevs, Clemens Fritz
Olimpia out Dragic, Kalnietis, Simon, Fontecchio, Tarczewski
Red Star -
Jasmin Repesa «We face a Zvezda team who will play with great determination becuse they are in the middle of the playoffs race and any win for them is essential. The last couple of games in the EuroLeague didn't please me. So I'm asking for a very intense game, when we haave to show pride because we are indebited towards our fans who never abandoned us».
Dejan Radonjic «We travel to Milan to show our best. We realize that both teams have some problems with injured players, but we also know that Armani played lot of very good games in front of their fans. They showed that every team in this EuroLeague plays with high motivation, despite their lack of chances to qualify. They showed great quality in games against Olympiacos and Darussafaka, so we must play hard, motivated, and at our highest level to try to be competitive in this game».
A. Maggi
@AlessandroMagg4
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