Scariolo: “We overcame a tough test against a team that played very well”
“The final play was for Feliz, and he managed to create separation with his spin that allowed him to finish with a basket,” the coach explained after the victory against Gran Canaria.
Sergio Scariolo analyzed the victory of Real Madrid against Dreamland Gran Canaria in matchday 21 of the League. The coach said: “We achieved most of our objectives. The first, to win and maintain our position in the standings. We did it with many minutes of good basketball. We had built a significant lead, but there was a moment of relaxation that we must not repeat. However, it is not just about relaxation; it is obviously a matter of lineups and risks that you sometimes take, especially when you have been doing so since the beginning of the season, like choosing to rest very important players, both offensive and defensive references, as we also did today.”
“And that's the second objective: having overcome a tough test against a team that played very well. I congratulate the team for how they played, and for doing so while resting players we want to preserve for the upcoming match. And having given minutes to players like Almansa, Procida, or Krämer, who had played less.”
Krämer's injury
“The negative note was Krämer's injury, which we hope is not serious, but it bothers us because he is an important player in League games to help us manage our energy well. I repeat, I am a bit upset about the relaxation we experienced and also because lineups without Tavares, Campazzo, etc., should be able to compete and maintain the level of play achieved by others. Today it didn’t happen as much, but on other occasions, it has, and we will certainly trust them one hundred percent.”
Final play for Feliz
“Yes, the play was for him. We were looking for a defensive switch that didn’t happen, but when we saw that Feliz's matchup was favorable, I asked Campazzo to make a move to divert attention a bit, and Feliz executed it very well. He finishes very well in the paint; he is one of our best small players in finishing. He had great body control, a touch, and in the end, finished with a shot that wasn’t easy but also not overly forced. He managed to create separation with his spin that allowed him to finish with a basket.”
Paniagua
“Not only was he a legend on the court, a great player, but he also knew how to be a legend off it, in his role as a veteran, commentator, and a close person. I saw him about a month and a half ago, and he told me he had already signed up for the trip to Kaunas, that he wanted to come to the game we have in two weeks. It couldn’t be, and we send him, wherever he is, surely still following the team as he always has, a big hug to him and his entire family. Personally, I have a magnificent memory of him.”