Bartzokas: “We must prepare with professionalism, as always” (Vid)
Giorgos Bartzokas spoke at the press conference following the game between Olympiacos and Armani Milan for the 38th round of the EuroLeague.
In his opening statement about the matchup, Bartzokas said: “It was the last game of a truly exhausting EuroLeague regular season. We competed against great opponents. You saw today the level of talent Milan has, and they are not even in the play-in. We are grateful for the result tonight and for finishing first in the EuroLeague regular season. It’s the 3rd time in the last 4 years that we’ve achieved this. It shows real consistency and that this club is made up of people who are true professionals and work very hard, offering great support to the team. The regular season ends today, and now we must look at our playoffs opponent and prepare for those games as we always do; with professionalism.”
Responding to journalists who thanked him for his patience throughout the season during press conferences, Bartzokas commented: “It’s part of our job to communicate with you throughout the season. Of course, you were also very polite, and I had no problem at all.”
When asked about the secret behind finishing first this season, the coach said: “It’s always a combination of many things. There is know-how within the organization. Olympiacos has been at this level for many years, playing in Final Fours, big games, and competing for titles. This organization is constantly improving. I hope that the overall game-day experience at the new SEF will become even more enjoyable for our fans; and it will. This was appreciated by Olympiacos fans. We had many sell-outs this year. Even in difficult and unusual venues, like Dubai, they were there, and we deeply appreciate that. The season started the way it did. One of our main plans involved Keenan Evans, who unfortunately got injured again, which was a big shock for us since he was a key part of our plan. I want to thank the management and the owners because they never stopped supporting us and trying to strengthen the team. We made 4 signings during the season, building depth that definitely played a role. Olympiacos lost key players to injuries many times, but we continued to play well and win, and that has to do with the depth we had this year.”
On the team chemistry despite many changes during the season, the Olympiacos coach added: “The entire club contributed. There are always ups and downs in accepting roles, and that’s the hardest thing in European basketball. For example, today we had three players chasing individual awards. At the same time, we represent team basketball. Once again, we are first in the league in assists, and this balance is very important because everyone at this level has a big ego. At the same time, the individualization of the sport, driven by agencies, players’ circles, and the media, goes against what EuroLeague coaches try to build. You want to establish a team spirit, but everyone is focused on themselves and their stats to secure their next contract. You hear about transfers happening while the EuroLeague is still ongoing, even involving teams still competing. This whole system comes from the U.S. This is the most difficult part: how to maintain a team spirit when everything around you pushes in the opposite direction.”
You can watch the full press conference in the VIDEO below.