The statements for the game vs Virtus
After expressing his sadness for the loss of Janis Timma, our team's coach, Giorgos Bartzokas talked about the game with Virtus Bologna (18/12, 20:15 CET) at the SEF for the 16th round of the Euroleague.
"First of all, I want to say how upset I am. I hadn't worked with him, but I knew him well, we had a good relationship. We are all very sad. We are talking about a young man. Just like the club has said, we are extending our condolences and support to his family. In Janis' memoriam", he said at first.
About the game vs Bologna that is now under the helm of Dusko Ivanovic, he commented: "The change of the coach is giving a renewed boost to the team. A team that had lost too many games due to details when they were really close to the score and were losing for one possession. There's no doubt that they are a very experienced team, with talent and skill. Usually, changing the coach changes your disposition and sometimes, it brings luck as well. They won in Vitoria with a 'four-pointer' at the end. They also beat Milan for the Lega at home and away, and we have to realize that for us, the game is one that comes at a strange timing, following 2 losses. When we had a lot of ins and outs in the roster. Two of our three centers are out. We had to try untested line ups. At the same time, two key players for us - Vezenkov and Fournier - were down with a virus. All of that have an impact on an already heavy schedule and the team's performance because it's different to play one game a week and another thing to play three games under these circumstances. So, the game vs Virtus has an even bigger significance from what it already had. We have to prepare for a game that is going to be hard, but also very important to us".
In regard to the team's absentees, the coach said that "Fall practiced on his own yesterday and he will participate the group practice today, so he's going to be in the roster tomorrow 99.5%. Fournier and Vezenkov are better, it was obvious in the game against Panionios and I also hope that the new player will be here by the end of the week, but you know, bureaucracy is what it is and hence we have no exact updates"
Papanikolaou: "We must press restart in the game vs Virtus"
Our captain, Kostas Papanikolaou, said about the game: "Virtus is coming from winning in Baskonia at the buzzer... they have changed their coach, and this win helps them to build confidence. They are a team that has experienced players on its roster and guys that have played at the highest level and have won titles. It's an important game for us in view of our latest results; we want to hit 'restart' and this game is a good opportunity to do just that".
«Mental health has nothing to do with money, or prestige, we must all be vigilant"
Talking about the tragic events pertaining to the death of Janis Timma, he noted: "These things are very sad, they transcend basketball. Janis was an excellent guy, very quiet, very amicable, always smiling. But the things each one of us is experiencing in their private lives are things we can't know about and some times no one knows what burden each one of us carries after they close the door behind them. Either they are successful basketball players, or doing any other job. Mental health is very important and has nothing to do either with money, or prestige, or what kind of person you are or even the things you have accomplished in your life. We must all be vigilant, just like we talked with our team's doctor, when you are faced with a problem you have to share and channel it. You must share what you experience with your people. Condolences to his family".