By Dionysis Aravantinos/ info@eurohoops.net
While the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular season is not yet finished, Zvezda is already competing in the playoffs of the ABA Liga in order to secure a spot in next season’s EuroLeague.
To be exact, that’s the only way Zvezda can be present in the EuroLeague next season and that’s why Alimpijevic said when speaking about his two missing players, Pero Antic and Nemanja Dangubic: “I don’t want to complain when we are missing somebody, I have twelve players and that’s it. At this moment we are in a strange situation because we are in the middle of the very important playoffs of our domestic league, in which we can win our place in the EuroLeague“.
On the game, he admitted: “Playing in such a gym in this great atmosphere, it was a problem for us and it affected us. Panathinaikos wanted this game and they are is maybe one of the four most athletic teams in the league“.
Coach Xavi Pascual added: “We are happy to be in the playoffs. We will fight for the best and will hunt the home court advantage. We have one more “final” game coming in 48 hours against Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv“.
Pascual was also asked about the possibility of preferring or even choosing a specific playoffs opponent: “I am a romantic. I always play for the win. I never had such thoughts“.