Kanzouris: “We will be very strong at the Olympic Games, it’s a lifetime opportunity for us”

THE Elias Kanzourisone of his direct collaborators Vasilis Spanoulis in National team of Greecespoke to “EOK Web Radio” about the team’s qualification to the Olympic Games but also for the expectations from the great event.

In detail what he said:

To prepare for the Pre-Olympics: “In the national teams, you have to go to preparations where you can’t intervene too much in terms of basketball. As the coach’s philosophy was, we had to put few and good things that would be functional and we did. Nothing matters if the players have not come with the right approach, the will to work together and for the National Team to be able to do things, but the athletes responded 200%. There was an amazing atmosphere from the first day, everyone was on the same “page” and the result was what we saw in the four lines”.

Regarding coach Spanoulis’ statements that the National Team is a team that is afraid of… losing: “What the coach said is “A” and “O”. If one goes in and has negative thoughts in his mind, most of the time it brings about negative results. If there is something big in this team it is the positive energy and belief, that we are all doing something together, we are on the same “page”, we have the goal to represent our homeland and our country. The children helped to the maximum so that everything coach Spanoulis had in his mind could become a reality on the court.”

For the fact that this national team does not play the matches…thriller: “First of all, the approach is very important, the culture that the coach wants to bring and we all joined behind the National Team. Since we are talking about a detail that can turn things upside down, we must be particularly careful about the defensive approach. In all our games we were very consistent defensively. A team that approaches matches like that, even on our not-so-good attacking day, there is a huge chance of claiming victory because we have the quality. The most important thing is to convince the players that this plan is the plan that will bring them results, victories, distinctions. I think the players saw and felt that we really have to operate now maybe with a slightly different style of play than the last few years. Approaching the matches defensively, we found a good rhythm in the attack. Our good percentages came from the confidence the kids had, which came from the defensive part.”

For the team’s good three-point percentage: “For us as a coaching staff it was very important under what conditions these shots are created. We wanted them to be created through a very good circulation of the ball, essentially to create the advantage. Most of our shots were in good conditions. Such a shot is very good, whether it goes in or not, because it basically keeps the whole team in rhythm. That was the rationale. They all shot excellently and we expect a similar continuation”.

For the National team group at the Olympic Games: “He is extremely strong, but we all have the belief that we will be very strong. We will go there knowing that we have a chance of a lifetime to do something we will remember forever. We don’t want to say big words. We have a period of time ahead of us where we will be able to do some more basketball things. We have to be healthy and go there in order to represent Greece in the best possible way. We’re talking about really great teams and great rosters, but they have to worry about us too, because we’ve shown that we’re a very good team. Our biggest hope is that the motivation we will have will be the biggest of all the teams”.

On whether Canada looks… unscathed: “We have started and are working for all three teams. We haven’t gone into too much detail, we haven’t analyzed all the teams yet. I think all three teams are of a high level, maybe the Canadian roster has some extra big names, but the Aussies and the Spaniards have very good teams as well. I would not like to single out any team, we will play all the matches in the same light. We will have to look at how we will impose the elements that make us a good team. First of all, we have to have fun, but playing our own way and our own basketball rules.”

About how big is the participation of the National Team in the Olympic Games: “Just that we will represent our country is something huge in our minds. If we go and give it our all in all the matches, regardless of the result, it will be widely perceived, so we will leave satisfied. We have to put the pressure on ourselves in order to be able to reach our limits and one thing will bring the other. If we can do that, it’s a given that we’ll enjoy it and, from there, we’ll see where we can go.”

On how the possible absence of Costas Antetokounmpo will be covered: “It’s still early. There have been some thoughts. I think that in the next few days we will go through this. The most important thing is that whoever comes integrates with the team and with the needs of the team and contributes to the basketball chemistry that has been created. I am sure that whoever comes will also be able to give his own energy, his own stamp, in order to be a positive element within the team. It’s something that should make us think about what player should complete the other 11. We think there are solutions and we’ll see everything in the next few days.”