Ataman complains about free throws number, clarifies conflict with Pesic / News - Basketnews.com

Ergin Ataman: "It's unacceptable for two coaches to have this kind of dialogue."

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Turkey lost a do-or-die game against Serbia in World Cup European Qualifiers and failed to qualify for the main tournament.

Turkey / Schedule

Turkey Belgium86-52 Serbia Turkey77-76

After the match, Turkey's head coach Ergin Ataman questioned some referees' decisions and the free throws difference between the two national teams.

"It was a great game for us. We played great defense all game but we made some easy turnovers. Meanwhile, Serbia played very aggressively and this is normal. For me, it is not normal that Serbia shot 24 free throws and we shot only 17 free throws in that kind of aggressive game that Serbia made," Ataman started the press conference.

"We lost a game by one point, I am proud, but I think this level of basketball, starting from EuroBasket requires [better] decisions from referees. They didn't call the last foul on Kenan Sipahi's penetration.

"Also, congratulations to Dusan Ristic who played a career game in terms of three-pointers. He made four of them and he was a difference for Serbia. Anyway, Serbia won a game, and congratulations to them," the reigning EuroLeague champion said.

Before the game, there was a fuss about Vasilije Micic whowas not allowed to join the Serbian NT for a crucial game. Ataman stated that this decision came from the Anadolu Efes club, not him.

Today, he was asked again who made the final decision about the player.

"Everybody talks about this, I don't know who provocate this situation but yesterday I made my last statement about what happened. I don't want to make any comments about this again.

"Please, your [Serbian] media start asking such questions to Sarunas Jasikevicius why Barcelona didn't send Nikola Kalinic here and you can ask Zeljko Obradovic why he didn't send Ioannis Papapetrou to the Greek national team. Everything is very clear, there is nothing to provocate.

"Anadolu Efes are fighting for the playoffs and are in a difficult situation without Shane Larkin. Vasilije Micic is the only point guard, moreover, he had a minor injury and he didn't practice for the last two days. He didn't play in the friendly game against Besiktas yesterday. It was the club's decision. The same as Barcelona's or Partizan's. That's my last statement about Vasilije Micic," Ataman delivered an extensive answer.

Last but not least, he touched on theheated conversation with Serbia's coach Svetislav Pesic.

"It's unacceptable for two coaches to have this kind of dialogue. I complained to the referees because of an unsportsmanlike foul - it was a clear unsportsmanlike foul - in the meantime, Svetislav Pesic started talking with me about why I am complaining to the referees. This is not fair.

"It's not fair for such a high-level coach to talk and complain from the bench. I don't talk to him, I talk to the referees. I am very upset because he is my good friend. I know him for many years but he has had big pressure after a loss in EuroBasket with the Serbian national team," Ataman concluded.

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