Varese –
At the end of the game with Openjobmetis Varese, Coach Luca Banchi spoke this way in the press conference: “Varese found a high-profile performance, a special night. I regret not being able to transfer the sense of urgency in such close games. Beyond the promising start Varese put in energy and versatility. We failed to limit their three-point attempts, and our turnovers and rushed shots opened their transition. We found them on an inspired night. If they shoot 34 times from three at over 50 percent it becomes difficult. We managed to put the game back on its feet, but at the key moment we were not cynical enough on offense and behind we made a couple of mistakes that Varese was very good at exploiting.
It was the game I expected, a reaction against undefeated Bologna with nothing to lose. We tried to exploit physical advantages, at first with good discipline, then we lost our way. Maybe some all too easy baskets at the beginning fooled some people, thinking we could play ping-pong with the opponents. These are games where you have to have discipline, authority and maturity to control the pace, and instead Varese was able to play their game for long stretches of the game. For them these are “easy” games to play, approaches with nothing to lose with great intensity, we could not control in risks. We had regained contact and went ahead, with Belinelli, then we had to be more cynical and with competitive nastiness. Playing at these regimes became very dangerous for us.”
