Coach’s words Ettore Messina from the press room of the Mediolanum Forum after Olimpia Milano’s defeat against Trento in Game 1. “Trento deserved the victory, regardless of the fact that it came in the last possession. We had beaten them three times this year, we started very well in the first quarter and from then on we played extremely poor defense. We didn’t help ourselves, we let the rebounds be taken away, we suffered mentally first of all the 84 points must be enough to win even with an unbalanced performance even in attack. We are down and we have to try to turn the series around.”
Choice not to play with a long third down. “Did Trento do what they wanted under the basket? With two players, otherwise they play with four small wingers. I believe and am convinced, we are all convinced, that we need an extra guard who generates in attack. Cooke? I think Melli and Hines are sufficient. If they are not, we cannot add… it is a question of quality expectation of individual performances. If Melli and Hines are not sufficient to play against Cooke, we have a problem long attack? We were not very patient and satisfied with the first free throw.
Tension on the pitch between the players. “They know perfectly well that we have already seen and experienced these things here during the year. We need to cut back, otherwise it will be difficult to win the series with Trento. We are not here to do good training, but to win.”
