Spahija: 'When you lose and there are things to improve on, it is unfair to talk about refs' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: D.Repečka Credit D.Repečka

Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (7-15) could not defeat Zenit Saint Petersburg (14-7) at home. The Russian powerhouse finished the game full of energy to remain in the fourth position in the standings.

Free throws this season

74%12,2Points made:12,2Accuracy:74,0%Place in standings:10Record max:24Record min:2Most made FTs:Jordan LoydTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Neven Spahija is always accurate in his analysis. After the game, he mentioned the lack of energy from his players in the last quarter as the main reason for another loss.

"Zenit were much more consistent than us. The big difference was in the last quarter. We lacked energy, we missed shots, we made too many fouls… I have the feeling that we did great in the 70% of the game. But it has not been enough", began Spahija.

The Balcanic coach ensured his players made a step up in the game against Zenit.

"We lost, but I saw good things. The first three quarters were good. We shared the ball better, I think we made more assists than them. It means something. There is room to improve, but this is the way."

Asked if some referees' decisions at the end could have been decisive, Spahija preferred to focus on what he could control.

"When you lose, and there are things to improve, it is unfair to talk about refs. They will watch the game again, like us, and surely see mistakes. It's normal. I cannot change them, but my players", he added.

Spahija concluded the press conference giving credit to Matt Costello, who played the game carrying the injury.

On the other hand, Xavi Pascual praised the capacity of his team to improve their defense in the second half to win in a difficult court.

"I am very happy about the win. We played against a really good team. Our defense was not enough at the beginning. This is why Baskonia had a high percentage in field goals, especially in the paint.

Baskonia had some opened shots in the third quarter but missed them. Step by step we were better, and we changed the game. In the end, we played smart, we knew how to play, we also were effective," said the Spanish coach.

Zenit won 14 games, 6 in the last 7 games. The Russian team has not lost a game on the road since November 25th at the OAKA. They are just behind Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and AX Armani Exchange Milan.

"To be honest, I do not think in one goal. It's like a topic, but the most important thing for us is to prepare for the games well. We are in the right way. We have been solid so far," Pascual admitted.

Zenit's head coach also had words for Baskonia's losing streak.

"They have had problems since the beginning of the season. It is not easy to find chemistry. The EuroLeague is ruthless, and we know how tough the ACB League is. This season is extremely unpredictable due to the current situation," he concluded.

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