Varese –
Marco Belinelli’s statements in the post-game in Varese: “It was a very difficult game for us, against a team that was playing very well, scoring easy baskets on the counterattack, with great three-point shooters, playing with freedom, definitely a very difficult game for us. We faced it the right way, with a very good team defense, especially on their shooters, team win now we think about the next one. Zizic is a very important player for us, it is useless to say that he is a strong player, he has been here for a short time and has done few trainings with us, but despite that he is giving us a big hand and today he showed it.”
Coach Banchi’s comment in the press conference: “A game played with good intensity by both teams where we were able to keep a high concentration regime. Varese’s offensive potential certainly served to create a sense of urgency to play a game in the defensive half of the court with a high profile, I think we were also able in the second 20 minutes to raise our level despite those first two minutes that were a bit unfortunate where neither on offense nor defense we were able to approach the game with our usual concentration, but then we collected a series of important defensive possessions, also finding with good continuity and lucidity balance between the perimeter danger and the inside game, especially with the Belinelli-Zizic axis, but I think above all we should emphasize, as mentioned, the defensive game. I think that in the last 18 minutes there were 21 points conceded, so when you talk about a team of Varese’s potential with certain characteristics of creativity, it means that you made an important effort and we were able to force them to low percentage shots, so definitely an important datum for me to underline and highlight also for the continuation of a season that is getting more and more difficult given the frequency of commitments. I also think that over the course of the game it is difficult to keep that rhythm that maybe in the first twenty minutes sometimes even with some of our mistakes, but also because of their qualities, they were able to find. Then slowly the game became more about half-court but above all it was important for us on offense to find balance, good execution, as said also good balance and good distribution between inside game and perimeter game, because this allowed us to set the rhythm of our game well. The ball moved pretty well, not perfectly but pretty well. We built good shots and this you know allows you to have more balance. Ante’s size helped near the iron also to gain some valuable second possessions.”
