By Michalis Gioulenoglou/ info@eurohoops.net
Limassol, Cyprus – Spain coach Sergio Scariolo’s last experience at the helm of the national team wasn’t the farewell he wanted after 15 years of top-level success. That didn’t change the immense pride he felt in the fight his players put on the floor against Greece.
“Obviously, nobody dreams about losing their last game,” Scariolo said after the elimination loss to Greece in the last game of the EuroBasket Group Stage. “I’d love to win. But I can’t be prouder of the effort of my players. It’s unbelievable how they came back from a 15-point deficit and managed to keep their head above water. The effort, the competitiveness, the energy they put into the game is unbelievable. You look at the roster… You have to be proud, finishing with two 19-year-olds on the floor. Because they deserved to finish the game and have the chance to play those minutes. Because they are the future, along with most of the other players. But it’s a special matter of pride with this championship to see them launched in the arena and fight and play that well.”
“The future is bright,” Scariolo added. “Somebody else will be at the helm of this team. I told my players to stay together to keep loving the jersey. to keep trusting the unbelievable work the federation is doing. From my side, I don’t want anything else than the links that were created all these 15 years. They are huge. I’ll be the No. 1 fan from now on.”
Scariolo first took over Spain in 2009, and the team won its first-ever EuroBasket gold medal the same year. He became arguably the most successfull coach on international level through his two stints as head coach of “La Roja,” leading them to the gold medal in the 2019 World Championship, three more EuroBasket titles (2011, 2015, 2022), the silver medal in the 2012 Olympics and the bronze in the 2016 edition of the tournament, along with a bronze medal in the 2017 EuroBasket.
“When I first came to Spain in 1997, I was seeing nice basketball but an extremely surprising lack of competitiveness,” Scariolo said when asked about what advice he’d give his successor about what Spain represents and what the team’s DNA is. “Then the 1980-born generation came up, and they started to show everyone how the Spanish not only can play basketball but also win. This became the real DNA of this team. The value has always been at the top. We don’t give up. We never give up. No matter who the opponent, the talent, the score, or the injuries. Tonight, one of our best players (Dario Brizuela) couldn’t play.”
“Also, togetherness. Here we don’t point fingers, we don’t look to blame people when we lose,” Scariolo also mentioned. “That the name you have on your chest is more important than the one you have on your back. And these guys have reflected it and shown it over and over. We became World champions and European champions with most of the legendary generation being retired. We could compete in the last competitions. That’s what we got, and that’s what we want to translate to these younger teams to come. Everyone feels part of the same family and works in a progressive way. And I hope this legacy will stay for many years beyond our experience here.”
“Congrats to Greece,” Scariolo had said in his opening statement. “They have an unbelievable team with many great players. A superstar. On paper, they are one of the top 4-5 teams in Europe, no question. Great coach. They had a super first half, playing great and hitting shots with an incredible percentage.”
And he also praised the Eurobasket level of play, promising to keep watching despite the early exit: “Several members of the coaching staff watched Serbia vs. Turkey and wondered, ‘What sport is this?’ I’m going to keep watching, like any basketball fan. Germany is a great team, France has injuries but will be there, you can never rule out Slovenia, with one of the best players in the world…”