Athenaiou to bwinSPORT FM 94.6: “I expect a different Panathinaikos in the second final”

His reaction Panathinaikou is waiting for Giannis Athenaiou in the second final of the Stoiximan Basket League, as he stated in News Bulletin 247. The veteran guard, who has competed in both “eternal” tournaments, spoke about the specifics of this year’s finals, the National team, and his future.

In detail, Yannis Athenaiou spoke about:

-the fatigue of the teams: “It’s exhausting to have the finals every two days. The good thing is that you don’t get to dwell on the bad result, but on the other hand the fatigue affects both of you. It depends how far the streak goes. In any case, if it goes far, both teams will have to open the rotation for freshness. I don’t know how easy this is, of course, because the coaches go to a certain rotation in the big matches, but for sure the burden is big for the teams that made it this far in the Euroleague. Especially the strain on certain players is quite high.”

-the image of the first final: “I have the impression that Panathinaikos after winning the Euroleague and Fal’s injury maybe relaxed overall. When you achieve such a big goal it makes sense to empty yourself, then you have to gather your energy again for another big goal. The mistake I think Panathinaikos made was in terms of mental preparation, they entered more sluggishly and this is not justified in a final. Olympiacos, after the result in Berlin, without the home advantage and Fal entered more focused and determined.”

-if the coaches manage to change things: “Coaches don’t have time to change anything in less than 48 hours. You do a relaxation and some video. I believe that Panathinaikos will be mentally more ready and focused, we will see a different face. I expect a completely different game, Ataman is a coach who knows how to activate his team. He knows his team well and understands when the problem is mental. In the basketball part, Panathinaikos showed that it is in a very good condition just two weeks ago, in the Final 4”.

-the future of: “I will definitely play next year as well. I still don’t have anything set. I am waiting for the best, something that will make me happy. For 1-2 years I was not happy and what I found last year gave me joy for the sport. I spend too much time either playing or watching, it’s something that fills me up beyond imagination. Panerythraikos is a very healthy organization, they have put in a lot of effort with coach Chouchoulis and are operating at the standards of an A1 team. It’s a club that deserves respect and I got the respect I wanted there.”

-his collaboration with Samonturov in the Pan-Erythraikos: “He is a humble child, low-key. He has a rare talent, you can tell he plays like an experienced player with images from the highest level. Only being among such players at Panathinaikos helps you, if you are smart. Although he is still a kid, he is very mature for his age and has all the elements to play basketball. He needs a lot of work, he will have the support and everything is in his hands. What demands does he have of himself to reach the highest level he can. It could also be the NBA.”

– the national team: “Spanoulis is a coach who can inspire, he is the right one to build this structure and make a new beginning. The most important thing is that everyone puts themselves at the disposal of the National team, so that the best choice is made. It is certainly not easy in a few days to prepare the team with players who come with different strains, but when at the end of the bench there is such a big personality like Vassilis, the first and most important thing is to play for Greece and for your coach”.