Georgios Bartzokas: 'It's the worst preparation I've done' / News - Basketnews.com

Coach Bartzokas ahead of the new season: "We want to be more inventive and tougher in defense."

Credit: D.Lukšta Credit D.Lukšta

Despite facing a challenging preparation period marked by numerous player absences, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach Georgios Bartzokas maintained his optimism as they gear up for the upcoming season.

"It's the worst preparation I've done. We had six players on international duty and two sidelined due to injuries. But I am very optimistic," Bartzokas shared his take.

He also emphasized his team's commitment to playing selfless basketball, focusing on both defense and offense as a cohesive unit.

"We will play altruistic basketball. We want to defend and attack together," he said. "Everyone should feel important, and the ball should pass through their hands. After losing a player like Sasha [Vezenkov], who was very creative and helped us with ball movement, we want to be even more inventive and tougher in defense."

Reflecting on the challenging task of maintaining their elite status, Bartzokas admitted, "Staying at the top and the same level is never easy. We've lost the EuroLeague MVP, but we've acquired talented new players and kept our very good ones."

In addition, the Greek coach highlighted the unrelenting nature of their schedule.

"The load is the same. Eight months without a day off," Bartzokas emphasized. "I enjoy the moments when we are all together in this group. There is also an awesome bond with our fans, as we sold 7,500 season tickets."

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