Niklas: “We didn’t start well mentally, I take responsibility”

Thanos Niklas believes that the Olympiakos basketball players did not enter well mentally in the match against Riga, he stood up to the dominance of the Latvians in rebounds and in their many accurate shots in the first half, he took responsibility for the defeat and gave a signal for the next matches.

Analytically: “We didn’t start well. We were not at all mentally ready to start the game. Certainly, the referee with her whistles took us out of rhythm, leaving Riga’s hard game, something that disorganized us.

However, in the first half Riga dominated with many technical rebounds, with many free shots. We knew that, that they would go so aggressively, but unfortunately we didn’t come in ready. I take responsibility for the defeat and for the fact that the team was not mentally ready to enter the game. We continue, it’s a bad result, which we put behind us and we will focus on the next games.”

Eleanna Christinaki emphasized that: “We played a very bad half, they had ‘read’ our game very well. We tried hard to reduce the score. Certainly, losing Williams at guard was a significant loss, because almost the entire rotation had to change, we had to have different roles in this game.

Although this may happen, we must be more prepared. At this level, the most successful teams are the ones that adapt most easily to problems and changes, so I think it’s a good lesson to adapt to whatever comes up.

We fought very hard in the second half and I think that should be our image. From now on, we will work harder, we had a problem with rebounds. Along the way, I believe we will be better.”