Ataman: “Basketball is not only attack, let’s go in more focused – We will see about Sluka in the evening in training”

Panathinaikos will finish their “devil’s week” with an away game, after facing Virtues in Bologna (15/11, 21:30) for its 10th matchday Euroleague.

Shortly before the group’s departure, at the airport, Mr Ergin Ataman made statements about the difficulty of the match against the Italian club despite their position in the standings, the need for his team to start better from previous matches, and his condition Kostas Sloukaswho still hasn’t gotten over the shoulder problem.

In detail what he said:

For Virtus: “They are a good team. When you play away from home you face a difficult atmosphere. Players are more confused away from home. We know they beat Maccabi and lost games in Bologna. It will be a difficult game, he has dangerous players, like Clyburn, Mournier, Zizic. They are a dangerous team. We have to play basketball … away from home.”

On whether Slukas will be available: “After the game he didn’t train. We don’t know yet. We will see him tonight at training. If he’s good, we’ll count him in for tomorrow. But it takes time.”

For bad first halves in recent matches, even if it’s different in away matches: “Of course, we have to start the game with more concentration, because away from home if you find yourself behind in the score by 10-15 points it is difficult to turn the game around. We did it in Belgrade against Red Star. But you have to play 40 minutes of the same basketball. Our mistake is that we didn’t start the games well and in the second half we came back. We have to share the aggression in the first part of the match as well.”

On the fact that basketball is a battle and not a show, even if this is the approach the team should have: “In European basketball, all teams are difficult. If you play 50-60% you cannot win. You must play at least 90% energy level. Basketball is not all about offense. You have to play basketball all over the court, defense and offense for all players.”