“I don’t want to talk about the refereeing—that’s not my level. However, some points need to be noted. The opponents took 38 free throws, while we had only 20. Our free throws mostly came in the final minutes, caused by the opponent’s excessive aggression in the last 5 minutes. I believe that the league’s development depends not only on the clubs but also on the improvement of officiating.

Our players showed great character in this game. We know that defending a championship is harder than winning it. Challenging the champion always doubles the motivation of the opponents.

I like the physical qualities of our new player; I would even say he meets EuroLeague standards. Our roster is being refreshed, which greatly helps us in making long-term plans.”