Spanoulis: Greece must increase energy and toughness after Ukraine loss

Vasilis Spanoulis, head coach of the Greek national basketball team, expressed disappointment following their 82-76 loss to Ukraine. He identified a critical lack of energy and toughness as the primary reason for the defeat, stating that the team was outmatched physically and played a step slower than their opponents.

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They were more physical and one step faster than us throughout the game. The kids tried very hard, they gave everything they could. I believe we could have done a better job in some things we discussed.

Despite the loss, Spanoulis acknowledged the players' effort but pointed to areas needing improvement. He specifically mentioned the need for better decision-making on offense and more effective ball movement, noting an over-reliance on dribbling. The coach also highlighted missed opportunities in exploiting Ukrainian defensive mismatches and failing to effectively target their heavier center, Skapintsev.

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We really wanted to win, but we have to move on. We still have five games, first Spain, and we must have only that in our minds.

Looking ahead, Spanoulis urged his team to focus solely on their next opponent, Spain, and to put the loss behind them. He emphasized that the team's immediate goal is to react positively, display a better performance in front of their home crowd, and secure a victory. The coach reiterated that the team's primary concern is their own performance and improvement, not the outcomes of other games in the group.

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We are not looking at 5/5 or 4/5, we are only looking at the next game, not combinations. We need to play in front of our fans, react, and show a better image.