By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Olympiacos fell to 4-3 and two games behind EuroLeague leader Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv, before a home fixture versus the Israeli club at the bottom end of a double-game week.
Tyler Dorsey talked to Eurohoops and Antonis Stroggylakis about a loss to AS Monaco in the Peace and Friendship Stadium on Wednesday and immediately focused on the next continental challenge on Friday.
“A couple of shots they made. A lot of free throws, I feel like during that ten-point lead stretch they got from us, and I think that that was it,” the 29-year-old recapped the Round 7 contest, “We couldn’t put two stops together like we needed to during the fourth quarter, and you have to do that especially when we were down.”
The experienced winger had a team-high 23 points against Monaco.
“So, so,” he replied to a question on whether physicality made an impact on the early-season meeting, “I think we should have matched it a little earlier in the first half, but I don’t think so.”
La Roca Team marked a second loss over three home showings for the team coached by Giorgos Bartzokas in the 2025-26 EuroLeague campaign.
“I think we weren’t shooting the ball well from the three, and we got to shoot well at home because this is our home court. We’ve got to take care of home court and get back in the gym and figure it out. We can’t shoot 18 or 20% like we did from three. It’s hard to win when you’re not hitting out there,” pointed out Dorsey.
Dorsey vs. Strazel
During the Round 7 contest, there was a heated exchange between Dorsey and Matthew Strazel, but both players downplayed the incident.
“No, it was nothing. He had a hard foul and started talking. I talked back, and that’s it. He turned me up. I thank him for turning my game up. That’s it,” said the Olympiacos player.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed him with the ball, but it happens in the heat of the moment,” he also admitted to overreacting.
“It’s just part of the game. Sometimes they are trying to be tough. We’re trying to be tougher,” mentioned 23-year-old Strazel.
“We don’t back down”
Moving to Round 8 and the Reds hosting Hapoel Tel Aviv at SEF, Dorsey opened up on the necessary approach.
“It’s a big one. Quick turnaround. Great thing we have another game early and quick like that, so we can show ourselves and show the mentality,” he mentioned, “We got to show that we’re dogs and that we’re gonna fight for this win.”
“We gotta come in and be confident and bring that energy, bring that dog mentality, and we don’t back down from there,” continued the veteran of 178 appearances in Europe’s premier club competition.
“I didn’t do enough”
Dorsey also discussed being vocal on the court.
“That’s just the passion coming out during the game,” he said, “I don’t talk too much outside of the game, but, during the game, I wanna win so we gotta talk.”
“You gotta communicate, talk shit, whatever we gotta do to figure it out to get the win, and tonight it didn’t work,” he furthered.
“I’ve got to bring more energy next game for sure,” he said, promising more passion opposite Hapoel, “I didn’t do enough and I need to do more.”