THE Ergkin Ataman He talked about the upcoming Final Four in Abu Dhabi, the Panathinaikos season so far, as well as the episodic series between “clover” and Efes.
The Turkish coach revealed to the Turkish Eurohoops that he wanted to see his mother, in the short break he secured after Panathinaikos’ games against Efes, with Ergkin Ataman reporting that he wanted to close his phone so that he could have a little time.
At the same time, he stressed that the coming game with Fener will be very difficult for both teams, but as the “yellow -blacks” pointed out, it is a team that he knows quite well.
Ataman’s words
To qualify for the Final Four and the account of the season so far:
“We had a season similar to last year. We started with a little hesitation. We lost some games at the beginning, but as the season progressed the team tempo and the style of playing began to set up and reached the zenith in the middle of the season. After that, we had some major injuries and of course the first was the fracture on Matthias Lesor’s foot. Then, our second center, Omer Yurceven also broke his leg and could not play for 7-8 weeks. We haven’t used Lesor for 4 months.
He is without question the best center in Euroleague. Of course, we had to apply the system without it. We completed a smart transfer, Gabriel. We have added a player who can stick to the team and especially strengthen the defense, perseverance and dynamism in the team. We didn’t want a player who would… spoil the style of our game. We won a lot from him.
Dinos Mitoglou was not good until the middle of the season. Unlike last season, Huanzo became a key position in “4”. But right now, Mitoglu is among our centers and started playing well. We started unlocking the defenses clearer. Because Central Nan is the top scorer of Euroleague and the defenses began to apply two and three players on him.
But there we started to create space, putting Mitoglou near the basket and things started to get better. We finished Regular Season where we wanted, in 3rd place. But the playoffs were difficult. I knew that the series with Efes would be difficult. Because Efes entered the playoffs with eight consecutive wins and two of them were probably the most difficult away to Euroleague. They prevailed against the Red Star and Partizan. These were two very important victories against a fanatical audience of 20 to 25 thousand.
If they lost one of these matches, then it wouldn’t be in the playoffs. Of course Shane Larkin is an important factor. Efes’ performance is quite based on Larkin’s performance because he is an excellent player. When he plays well, he makes the team climb 2-3 levels.
I also know that Larkin is playing well at these spaces (laughs). I have this experience after five years of cooperation. It was a very difficult series. We lost the second match there in the last occupation, although we were ahead of most of the match. There was nothing else to do. We lost our advantage, but I think the “key” in the series was Game 3.
We played pretty well in the third match and turned the turn to our advantage. It was a difficult series, but we managed to qualify for the Final Four, which was our goal. “
For Panathinaikos’ superiority in relation to Efes:
“We had more experienced players than Efes. Yes, they also have experienced players. Especially Larkin, Bryant, Poirier. The latter is a player who won the Euroleague and played for 20 minutes for the team that played in the final last year.
But I think the leadership of Kostas Sloukas, his confidence when he entered the games and Jenti Oyan played a “key” role. Because both teams stopped the opposing scorers, Osman made a step up and made the difference. He was the key player, in my opinion. “
For the time of rest he said he wants after the order:
“We are going through a full period, during which you are used to dreaming and thinking ‘what would happen if this series was over so I could calm down a little’.
But there are the realities of life. We could take a two -day break. Because the semifinals of the Greek Championship started. I went to Constantinople to see my mother in these two days. Because I stayed all the time at my hotel during the series with Efes I could not visit it, but also to the other elderly in the family. I couldn’t even talk to them on the phone. I had closed all my phones.
Especially the Turkish cellphone I closed it because of friends, journalists and tension. I went directly to Constantinople as soon as the series was over to visit my mother. “
For the semifinal with Fenerbahce:
“It had a good season. Especially in the second half, after the addition of Eric McColum, the aggressive force increased and they began to play smarter. They also had injuries with a long time. They used many players in position 5. Saras put Saratak Sanli, Nicolo Meli, Kem Birch. There is also Gilson Bango, a recent addition.
Hais-Davis is there. Marco Guduric is always an important player. Devon Hall offers. Weidboldwin may have been missing for a while, but was assimilated by the team later. Fener is a good team. They had a fixed season, but as I have said, after a large marathon, they finished in 2nd place and with one more win by us. And we prevailed in both games against them in the regular season.
However, in a Final Four, the semifinals are knockout. It will definitely be very difficult. In other words, both teams know very well. Saras knows us well and I know Fenner. I think the performance on that particular day and who will play better will be important. “
About what awaits the semifinals:
“It’s too early to answer it. Because I have recently followed Fenner as a playwright in the playoffs or in major Euroleague matches while eating at home or watching my son at work. I haven’t watched Fener for training for the semifinals.
I will start analyzing and concentrating on Fener when the semifinals are completed in the GBL. Fener is a good team, they play well. Play quite well at intervals. But I remember up and down in their games in clashes. We will be prepared in this piece.
I’m sure they will be prepared too. We had a 23 -point lead in Game 5 of the playoffs at OAKA and then reduced to 4. Both teams have up and down in their matches. We will make a strategic plan. “