Lack of Energy & Discipline: Attacking Weaknesses Analyzed

Jānis Gailītis : “I think that today, we lacked energy and above all discipline, especially in attack. We tried to create offensive situations from the start, and defensively, we started rather well. But very quickly, our attack did not keep up with our defense. We conceded too many points in transition, often due to avoidable turnovers. The intensity and commitment only lasted a half, or a little less. Despite that, I am happy with the state in spirit: the players tried to play, they showed respect for the game and for the opponent As you said, the match started with complicated shots, especially for Nelly Joseph. This is something we should expect when we face this type of team. We still gave away too many opportunities in transition, and it all came down to our attitude and our ability to work collectively to create real situations.

We wanted to take charge and take shots, but that requires a lot of discipline and communication. Paris is a very aggressive team defensively around the ball: we cannot keep the ball in the same place and hope to find easy shots. We have to move the defense, play fast, play physical, set good screens. And today, we failed to do it. In the second half it was all about continuing to play. It was also a good opportunity to give playing time to young players. It’s not necessarily the best context to learn, but they need to feel this level, this intensity, to taste this type of match. This is how we progress. I know they work hard. One day, they will deserve this level, or even more. For our part, we want to continue to trust them when the opportunity presents itself, because they do a very good job in training. They came in with energy and confidence, which is important. We often talk about personality in a player, and today, even in difficulty, they showed that they were there and that they assumed responsibility.”

JB Maille :”It was already complicated in Bourg, so we shouldn’t hide behind that. The -29 is what it is. Above all, it shows us the road ahead and all the work we still have to do to compete with a team like Paris. It’s not just a player, it’s Paris Basketball. It’s their identity. We know that when they take a run, it goes away very quickly, and that’s what has been their strength for several seasons. In this type of match, you have to succeed in manage these moments and above all to make them as short as possible, we start quite well, despite a few mistakes, but as soon as the run starts, at the end of the first quarter and especially in the second, it goes very quickly. In the future, we will have to better control these passages and limit our errors to avoid it happening again.