Bartzokas: "We are always ready to fight"
Olympiacos will be playing against Alba tomorrow in Berlin (08/02, 20:00 CET), for the 24th round of the Euroleague, focused on getting the win that is going to keep him at the ranking top.
The German team ranks at last (6-17 record), however, according to the ‘red & whites’ coach, Giorgos Bartzokas, this means nothing… “I think it’s naïve to look at the ranking and relax. We have to approach the game the same way we have up to now, which has brought us to the top of the ranking ladder. As you know, all teams are really close, that’s why the right approach is essential. We have to be serious. We are still missing players, Sloukas and Peters are still out and this, combined with the big number of games, is something we need to take into account. Nevertheless, we believe that if we remain serious, we are going to play a good game and aim for the win”.
Highlighting Alba’s playing style, he said: “They are a team that plays at a serious high tempo. They push the ball, have many assists, execute well, they take the score to high levels, they play at the same rhythm regardless of who the opponent is or the court for that matter and you have to adjust to that. Each possession is important. We should not get carried away by the tempo and the style Alba wants to play. We have to impose our game”.
Finally, when asked to comment on the fact that a big part of the basketball world has been commenting on his and his players’ accomplishments, he said: “We have a good group of players. We are lucky to have these players. They are selfless, they are good team mates, they play for the team and obviously, it is the club that has gotten them here together and helped instill that philosophy in them. That is, to play as a team on both ends of the floor, to fight in every game regardless of a full roster or not and regardless of whether the opponent has a greater budget or not… This is what we are looking for: to be ready to fight every time. Of course we are going to lose some and win some. We hope to remain healthy and accomplish the best we can. I repeat though, it’s too early for coming to conclusions. We still have to play 11 games, all the teams are now battling for a place in the playoffs and we are going to have to remain as serious as we have been up to now”.