By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
ATHENS – Real Madrid head coach Sergio Scariolo struck a bittersweet tone following his side’s heartbreaking defeat to Olympiacos in the EuroLeague Final Four Athens, presented by Etihad, Final on Sunday.
Despite playing through a severely depleted frontcourt, the Spanish powerhouse battled across all 40 minutes at the Telekom Center Athens, only to fall short in the game’s closing seconds. When asked by EuroLeague TV if his squad had been outstanding in the ultimate showcase, the Italian mastermind didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, we were,” Scariolo replied. “Unfortunately, not up to the very last second. We missed a three-pointer to tie the game. We were there. We fought against a great team, a powerhouse.”
His praise for the newly crowned champions carried immense respect, specifically referencing the Reds reaching the Final Four for a fifth straight installment of Europe’s premier club competition.
“Five years dominating, more or less, the competition,” noted the 65-year-old play-caller. “Give them credit, but very, very proud of my players, of my team, how they played, how we fought. We’ll be back.”
The missed opportunity Scariolo lamented came on the heels of a frantic, high-stakes gamble in the final twenty seconds of the championship game. After Trey Lyles intentionally missed a late free throw, Facundo Campazzo drew a foul on a three-point attempt and intentionally missed his third attempt from the charity stripe to force another chaotic scramble. Madrid successfully tracked down the offensive rebound, but Andres Feliz missed a three-pointer that would have completely altered the outcome.
The absences of Usman Garuba with a left leg injury, Alex Len with a left foot issue, and Walter Tavares with a left knee ailment heavily restricted his options at the center position.
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