By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Anadolu Efes tied the EuroLeague Playoff series against Panathinaikos at 1-1, securing a win in Game 2 at OAKA Arena.
The Istanbul team’s head coach, Luca Banchi, praised his team’s resilience and emphasized the importance of earning a road win before heading back to Istanbul.
“Very important win for us. It was a different kind of game, and we had an impressive comeback in the fourth quarter. Despite struggling for 30 minutes, the players managed their aggressiveness — they stepped up, starting with defense. On offense, we found our flow and rhythm. It’s not easy to face that level of physicality and aggression. I’m really proud of the way the team bounced back. We’re leaving these two games with a 1–1 split, and now we’ll have two games in Istanbul — that was our goal,” Banchi said at the postgame press conference.
He also expressed his satisfaction with the high level of basketball displayed in the first two matches by both teams.
“I hope both teams continue to play at this level. It’s great for us, but also for the fans who enjoy watching such a high level of talent. Just think how many EuroLeague trophies are represented on that court — probably a lot — and that explains why this kind of basketball is such a pleasure to watch.”
The Italian tactician did not want to respond to Ergin Ataman’s comments after Game 1, criticizing Anadolu Efes‘ decision to train in Piraeus instead of the OAKA Arena.
“C’mon… please. I prefer not to comment. Don’t waste energy on certain things. Better not to say anything.”
He also dismissed the possibility of Rodrigue Beaubois returning from injury for the upcoming matches.
“The injury is serious. It takes time. Our mission is to extend the season as much as possible,” Luca Banchi concluded.