By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Olimpia Milano secured a huge road win over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, defeating the Israeli team in Belgrade 107-74.
Coach Ettore Messina expressed his satisfaction after the game but ended his initial postgame comments with a pointed statement:
“People run their mouth all the time, sometimes about my team, sometimes about others. That’s not my concern, and we don’t play to give answers,” Messina said, addressing critics of his team at the beginning of the season, especially after their recent series of strong performances and results.
Later, at the press conference, he elaborated on the game:
“It wasn’t easy, but we made it look easy because we controlled the game from the beginning with good defense, using both zone and man-to-man, and with good ball movement. In the first quarter, we gave up six offensive rebounds, but then we controlled the boards for most of the game and continued to play unselfishly on offense. At one point, Maccabi lost confidence, and the game was over. I wish them good luck because they are not facing an easy season. This was an important win on the road, and we will continue to try to get better. We are much better than we were in October and November, and our goal is to keep improving.”
Messina also praised the contribution of Zach LeDay, highlighting his impact beyond basketball:
“Together with many others, he is a key player for us. We have some leaders, and he’s playing well, contributing in many ways, not just on the court. He’s also very vocal, giving us enthusiasm and energy. We are very fortunate to have him back this year,” Ettore Messina concluded.