«Passion, energy and heart»
Giannis Sfairopoulos presented his views on the elements to decide the victory in the game against Anadolu Efes on Tuesday (02/05/2017, 20:00 CET).
"We are playing the last game of the series, it's the greatest final we have to play up to now, against a team that we know very well and knows us as well. We need to do what we have to do the best we can, we actually need to bring the game to our standards on both ends of the floor. We know what the pros and cons for Efes are and we need to disorganize them. We know we have a sold out, we are looking forward to seeing our fans in the gym. We need them to boost the effort made by our players , it's a game that we need to play to our top potential", was what the Greek coach said at first.
Asked on what he expects to see from his players, the 50 year old coach said: "I need to see energy and passion, we need to play with a lot of heart and soul. We know what Efes has and doesn't have, I don't think we should be expecting any big surprises, but you need to be able to do all the simple stuff the right way".
As to whether the pressure is greater now than it was in the fourth game, the Greek coach replied that "I think that both games are the same. Because if you lose, it's the end. I think that this game is the second half to the fourth one. When you play the play-offs, you need to improve on your performance. Whichever team has a wider margin of stability and good performance will be getting the victory".
KOSTAS PAPANIKOLAOU: "It's exactly that. Just like the coach said during the meeting, it's the second half of a final that has begun to be played since last Friday. It's a battle that decides a Final Four ticket. From that point on, we need to stop talking and only act on the floor".
As to whether there is pressure, just like in the fourth game: "I don't think there was any pressure. The team is very experienced and has players that have been in similar or worse situations. The team is experienced enough to handle situations like that, when we found ourselves trailing by double digits in Turkey. This game is over now. The only thing that counts is action on the floor and it will take a lot of soul to show just how much we want to be at the Final Four. If we show our passion and dynamic, then our chances are going to increase".