Coach Spanoulis Prioritizes 'Correct Basketball' for Greek National Team Ahead of Ukraine Clash

Vassilis Spanoulis, the head coach of the Greek national basketball team, voiced satisfaction with his team's performance in a recent friendly match against Poland. He observed that the team is progressing well and showing improvement, though he stressed that there remains significant potential for further development. Spanoulis's primary focus is on instilling a style of play centered on "correct basketball," prioritizing teamwork and sound strategy over individual scoring accolades. "I don't care who is the top scorer, I care about correct basketball, with proper spacing," Spanoulis stated, underscoring his team-oriented philosophy.

“

I don't care who is the top scorer, I care about correct basketball, with proper spacing.

The coach acknowledged that the team experienced both strong and weak moments during the game, but pointed to positive statistics such as 16 steals and 28 assists as indicators of effective play. He also welcomed the return of point guard Nick Calathes, describing him as one of the top players in his position who understands the game exceptionally well and brings motivation and pride to the national team. Spanoulis believes Calathes's presence will be a significant asset.

“

The kids have great appetite, they are focused, they have understood the criticality and will do everything to beat Ukraine.

Looking ahead to a critical upcoming game against Ukraine, Spanoulis conveyed a sense of urgency and determination. He noted the difficulty of the qualifying "windows" and emphasized that the players understand the importance of the match. "The kids have great appetite, they are focused, they have understood the criticality and will do everything to beat Ukraine," he said. Spanoulis stressed the need for strong defense and execution of their game plan to secure the victory, aiming to maintain consistent intensity and effective collaboration throughout the match.

“

We had good and bad moments tonight, we had 16 steals, we shared the ball exceptionally well, we had 28 assists.