Bartzokas: «We need to hold our heads up high»

Giorgos Bartzokas characterized the home defeat to Valencia as painful.

“It was a very painful game the way it ended. It was the only time Valencia came ahead in the score, just 3 seconds before the end of the game. So, we can say it’s really sad, however, on the other hand, basketball is a game played up to the last second. We made a lot of tactical and mental mistakes. If you watch the fourth quarter, we allowed them to get back in the game. At the end, it came down to a decision the players made, two decisions the refs made, but it’s always this way. If you ‘finish’ playing earlier than you are supposed to and the game evolves this way, you have to pay the price. We have had many opportunities to finish the game in our favor. It’s painful, but that’s basketball. Of course we have to hold our heads up high and continue. Congratulations to Valencia”.

Valencia’s coach, Alex Mumbru, pointed out: “It was a tough game, a complicated one. Our goal had been to stay close to the score up until the fourth quarter, so as to have winning hope. When Olympiacos got to lead by ten we tried to stay in the game and not allow the difference to skyrocket to 20. We did that and got a very important victory”.