Tsiakmas: “The return to the top four after five years is a great success for PAOK”

For his success PAOK to return to her semi-finals Basketball League after five years he spoke Nikos Tsiakmas.

The Greek guard was hosted on her web radio EEC after the qualification of the “two-headed team of the North” in the top four over Prometheus and emphasized that the good finish should be credited to the coach Foti Takianowhile regarding his personal performance he said that the arrival of the 54-year-old made his role on the court more active.



For this year’s course of PAOK: “The team has had a great run. We are very happy about it, we have worked very hard. It is a great success that the team returns to the 4th after 5 years and especially after last year which was not the one that the people of PAOK would have liked. This year we are back to success, but we are not stopping here, we have a long way to go and we hope to be healthy and everything goes well».

Why this course is due: “We are family. We have really gone through extremes and upheavals, but nothing would have happened if we weren’t a family. The atmosphere that exists in the locker room and in general in the team from the management to all the players is excellent and I think it is one of the main factors that the team has made this whole way».

For the semi-finals with Olympiakos: “Olympiacos is one of the best teams in Europe. Unfortunately, there is also a difference in dynamics in the budget and this is due to many reasons, such as the European competitions. We will go to work, improve our weaknesses and claim what belongs to us. I would definitely like to see PAOK in the top three and I hope everything goes well and we can be there at the end of the season».

For coach Fotis Takianos: “The very good finish we did must be credited primarily to coach Takiano. He came at a very difficult time both for us players and for him, in terms of coming in the middle of the season. However, I think that the work done by everyone was excellent, from the first moment we wanted to help him and he us. I think he helped us a lot and was one of the main factors in us being able to get some great wins, finish 4th in the regular season and make it to the final 4 through the play-offs».

About Yannick Franke: “Yannick is a very talented kid, he can score in many ways, he is a “weapon” in our team. Both Yannick and the whole team are working very hard. We are certainly happy to have him, because he can help us in many ways. I wish that Yannick and the whole team will be healthy and that he and all the children will be able to perform very well and help our team».

As for whether they are motivated by the other PAOK departments that play the lead: “We see many sections of PAOK playing the leading role. In general, there is a family atmosphere, because we also watch their games, and they also watch ours. It was certainly an extra motivation that we also want to leave our mark and in general to give joy to our world that we want him in every match by our side and to continue to support us as he has been doing until now».

For this season, which he is doing himself: “It’s my 2nd year at A1. I come from Apollon, which is at a different level and with different goals than PAOK. I try to improve day by day, as I know that there are high demands and there are disadvantages that I need to improve, however in the last matches and with the arrival of the coach my role has changed, I am more active and I like that, because I feel that can I help. The whole team has helped me from the first moment to understand where I am and what they want from me. The most important thing is that the team wins, regardless of who steps up».