By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Panathinaikos Athens coach Ergin Ataman talked about how he transmitted confidence to his players after going down 0 – 2 in the Greek League Finals against Olympiacos Piraeus to turn the series around and ultimately win the championship.
“In the EuroLeague, we were down 2-1,” Ataman said, first referring to the EuroLeague playoff series vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv. “We changed the series, we played in the Final Four and we won the EuroLeague.”
“Here [in Greece], 0-2,” Ataman added. “Nobody believed outside the team. Everybody said that it’s impossible. But we believed. The guys believed. I told the guys: We are the magic team. Only we can make it. and we made it now. I’m proud of all of the guys. all of my stuff, starting from Christos, he did an excellent job.”
Panathinaikos made a rare comeback in the Greek League Finals since only once before a team had returned from down 0 – 2 to win three in a row and claim the title. It had happened in 2002 when AEK Athens made the turnaround, also vs. Olympiacos.
“We had the best atmosphere in Europe. It was a magic season starting in 2023, so 23 is the magic number,” Ataman also mentioned.