Spanoulis on Peristeri making the BCL F4: 'It's a historic moment' / News - Basketnews.com

Legendary retired player and current head coach of Peristeri bwin Vassilis Spanoulis weighed in on his team making it to the Final Four of the FIBA Basketball Champions League and what it meant to him.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

After a playing career not to be easily surpassed, Vassilis Spanoulis took up head coaching duties, currently being in charge of both the Greek national team and Peristeri bwin.

Points this season

47%81,5Points made:81,5Accuracy:47,2%Place in standings:16Record max:110Record min:64Best scorer:Joe RaglandTeamBCLStatisticsSchedule

Yesterday, Peristeri and Spanoulis beat Telekom Baskets Bonn in a best-of-three series to advance to the FIBA Basketball Champions League Final Four for the first time in the club's history.

In an interview with SPORT24, Spanoulis talked about the team's success and their mentality approaching the Final Four.

"It is a historic moment for the team. We managed to achieve something very important," Spanoulis said. "All the credit belongs to the guys [players]. We are happy, we have realized it, and now we have to move on to our next obligations, which are the game against Panathinaikos and the preparation for the Final Four," the coach explained about their upcoming schedule.

Peristeri's success can better be understood by two facts: Telekom was one of the favorites to win it all in the tournament, and Peristeri lacked homecourt advantage for the quarterfinals playoffs.

"It's something that's built through training every day, from the first day we met," the specialist said about the team's mentality.

"That mentality of never giving up on any game, that mentality of fighting even against any condition has been built through video, training sessions, discussions and certainly through the character of all the guys, because the selection of the players has been made, above all, through character," Spanoulis stated.

According to the Greek coach, Peristeri became a club beloved by all in Greece, particularly the dwellers of the city of Peristeri, who joined a watching party in the city for the third game of the BCL playoffs.

"It's amazing," Spanoulis said of the occasion. "Especially what we saw with Bonn in the second game in Peristeri, but also what I was informed and saw through video, which happened in Peristeri, was amazing. ..."

"All the citizens of Peristeri deserve it. We see that Peristeri is a team that, apart from the fans of Peristeri, has become loved by all of Greece," he stated.

With the victory against Bonn, Peristeri became the third team to qualify for the 2024 BCL Final Four after UCAM Murcia and Unicaja Malaga. Spanoulis's team will wait for the victor of tonight's Lenovo Tenerife-TOFAS Bursa match-up for their semifinal rival.

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