By Alex Molina / info@eurohoops.net
Paris Basketball secured a huge road win against Partizan, and it was likely the biggest victory in Francesco Tabellini’s career.
The Paris Basketball head coach spoke after the victory at Stark Arena, overcoming 20.000 home fans.
“We are proud of the performance we displayed on the court”, the Italian coach said.
“The main difference in the second half was that our defensive urgency stood up, the will to win the 50/50 balls… The game completely changed when Daulton Hommes won that ball and was able to bring the ball up, get fouled, and make the free throws. Making shots helps; we cannot hide from this, but Partizan was also making shots. I stay with the pride of being here and enjoying the privilege of witnessing such an atmosphere. I am a newcomer in the Euroleague, and I feel blessed, and many of my players feel the same. We are trying to balance this feeling without leaning into the spectator mode. We are here, we feel the privilege, and at the same time, we want to be actors, not spectators”.
The last two coaches of Paris Basketball, Tuomas Iisalo and Tiago Spillter, are currently head coaches of two NBA teams, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trail Blazers, creating a legacy and raising the bar of the French bench.
Tabellini knows that: “I have the privilege of sitting on a bench on which the last two coaches, the second one being Tiago, are coaches in the NBA. That’s an important legacy, and I am trying my best to stand up to this responsibility. I am a different person, a different coach. I cannot tell, I wasn’t there, what Tiago was doing. I can talk about myself. I have great respect for what they did, the great season they had. It’s not easy to step up as a head coach after such a successful season, and I will do my best to prove to David Kahn and James Newman that they made the right decision”.
At this point, the question is clear: Is Tabellini already thinking about the NBA? “I am still in the mood and mentality of trying to prove that I belong to this level. The schedule is so demanding… I am trying, among all these games and responsibilities, to calm down and enjoy what I am experiencing and be happy”.