The yellow coach placed special emphasis on the team’s capacity for effort in defense to fight for the derby.
“As you say, they are doing a season with a very high level basketball. It is a very balanced team, with a degree of knowledge of basketball and of game reading that makes them be in those privileged positions, rubbing shoulders with Madrid, Barcelona and Baskonia. You have to recognize the basketball they are doing.
«It is a difficult company for us. We must raise the defensive level to the highest potential we can do, stop different resources. Having clear ideas that either we do a great job in that defensive field, with everyone helping, or it will be a difficult game to carry out. Their defeats are only at the top of the table, and we are not in that situation.
Both Matt and Fabio, maybe in a couple of weeks they will be on board. At the moment they are doing the work separately. The most serious mishap of the week has been an issue with Oliver Stevic, and also the problems that Beqa Burjanadze carries. The two are to play but they are with mishaps. The rest are able to play.
«There is an important aspect, we are at a decisive moment before the window stop. The percentages of the rivals in the European Top16, and now with rivals at the top of the table, are very good. The team is having clear ideas as to what it wants to defend, then there are the resources. To beat Iberostar Tenerife, you have to be at the best level in all aspects.
«The team was very solid with these different situations, they have been able to get through many games. The incorporation of both Earl Clark and Sean Kilpatrick has led to the loss of some rules in that defensive aspect. But we have got two players with greater offensive capacity. We are trying to get them to adapt as quickly as possible because there isn’t much room for maneuver. It’s the third game of the week and working time is limited, but not concept and video time.
«Well, the games arrive when they arrive, and it is not a question of whether it is the right moment. You have to know how to compete. It is a rival with a potential, at the base position, of the first European level. The loss of players due to injuries has been made up for very well. They have two good shooters like Salin and Butterfield. Players like Doornekamp, who dominate, or Dani Díez, Sergio Rodríguez. Inside, the Cavanaugh-Shermadini duo stands out but the rotation that Fran Guerra and ‘Suli’ give is of the highest level. You have to be very prepared to play at the best level we have.
