By Javier Molero / info@eurohoops.net
Sergio Scariolo’s debut in the Euroleague wasn’t as good as expected. With a tough loss against Virtus (74-68), the Italian coach talked to the media after the game, focusing on the players’ health and preparation.
As he admitted: “The physical condition of the players, especially those who have been out for several weeks during the summer, is still not good”.
Still, the race just started: “This isn’t about being good in September, October, or November… It’s more about the medium and long term. We have to work, but at the same time keep competing. I don’t regret today’s game. We fought every time they created an opening. We’ll keep our heads high and keep working”.
Speaking about the game, Scariolo added: “First of all, congratulations to Virtus. From Dusko to the players, to the fans, who were very good at cheering on their team. It was a typical first game in a competition. Everything is progress. A lot of comings and goings. We shot better from the 2-point line than they did, we grabbed more rebounds, we made more steals, but we had a terrible three-point shooting percentage. We have to work on this. Many shots were easy. We missed them unexpectedly.