Coach, what was the first feeling that crossed your mind after this game that went back and forth?
Pride. I am very proud of the guys. In the first half, we played ridiculously good basketball. I think everyone in the arena noticed it. But we were playing against a top-tier team. In the Euroleague, it’s not uncommon for a team to come back after being down by 20 points. It came down to nothing, but we responded well; we stuck together. Not a single guy on the bench dropped his head. Everyone was only thinking about the next play. And that allowed us to turn the game around at the end. So that’s it, I am very proud of the guys.
You dedicated Tuesday’s victory in Bologna to your predecessor Francesco Tabellini. What did you learn from him?
He’s a great coach, very detail-oriented. He’s also a very good person; it was really cool to work with him. He gave me a lot of freedom and listened to my advice a lot. We had a very good relationship. I think he did a fantastic job in the Euroleague, taking over a completely new team. The way he did it and led the team to victories was very impressive to me. As with the other two head coaches I worked with before, I continued to learn about coaching by his side.
Our motto? “Light the fire at the adidas arena”
The freedom you speak of was also due to your specific role as associate head coach. Did you still feel a change when you were promoted to head coach?
Yes, it’s a big change. As an associate head coach, you make suggestions and give advice or ideas to the head coach, but this position is so different. You have to make decisions, and I think that’s the hardest part of this job. I am very grateful to all our staff. They do a wonderful job gathering information and then presenting it to me so I can make the most informed decisions. But to answer the question, the difference is very, very significant.
It was your first home game as head coach. How did you feel when the fans chanted your name before tip-off?
I am very grateful to them; I heard them. But as I said before on the Euroleague’s microphone, it’s not about me; it’s about the team. We were looking to ignite the crowd. That was the motto before the game: ‘Light the fire in the adidas arena.’ And we really did. I am just incredibly grateful to all the fans who came today and made this evening very special.
Was this first period your best half of the season?
I don’t know; that’s probably how many people felt. We’ll analyze it, and I’m sure we’ll find things to learn from and be even better next time.
Paris has been quite inconsistent since the start of the season. Tonight, you were close to securing a third clean and flawless victory, but Milan came back after halftime. What do you need to be more consistent?
First of all, I think that in the Euroleague, a 10-point victory (103-93) is a big win. Usually, the final score is much closer. But for us, the important thing is to win the game. Basketball is a game of runs; sometimes, we’ll have a big lead and get caught, but as long as we win, that’s all that matters to us.
Tonight, Nadir Hifi was huge (25 points, 4 steals), both offensively, in his involvement, and even defensively. What did you think of his performance?
He played a tremendous game. Over the last three games, he’s been leading the charge offensively. He plays like a true point guard. And I found his defense exceptional. If you look at him today, the effort he puts in and how much he gives defensively, it’s something very special and rare to see such offensive talent do that. He really got his hands dirty; I am also extremely proud of his performance.
Tonight, you faced another rather young coach in Giuseppe Poeta (40 years old). Do you feel any pressure being the youngest head coach in Euroleague history at 28?
I don’t feel any pressure. I’m in charge of leading this group until the summer now, and that’s what I’m doing. But I don’t feel pressure. I’m simply doing my job. And even if there were pressure, I think it’s a privilege. It just means you’re in a good position. But as I said before, my job is just to help the team. And the guys help me a lot. So I feel very good.
