Janis Gailitis, Strasbourg’s coach, reflected on the loss, stating, “We turned the ball over too much. We weren’t disciplined enough. Then, it became a snowball effect. Each of us needs to do their job. Today, a part of our team didn’t perform as they should have. I expect us to play a better game on Thursday. We need to remain consistent; it might be difficult for some, but it’s mandatory at this level. From the end of the first quarter, we conceded 7 points carelessly. We stopped doing what we were supposed to do. We started the third quarter very poorly due to these organizational issues. We need to put our egos aside, play as a team, and that might lead us to success.”
Louis Labeyrie, Strasbourg’s forward, who scored 8 points, commented, “I saw what happened. In the second half, we didn’t choose our shots well. Even though we ran well in the first, they were simply fresher than us; they didn’t come from a play-in. It’s not to diminish them, but they didn’t play an incredible game. They defended, grabbed rebounds, and pushed the ball forward. Against a team like Paris, you think you have an open shot, but it’s the shot they want you to take to allow them to run. In two days, I know what I need to do. We have a short day to regroup, relax, and get back into it.”
Julius Thomas, coach of Paris Basketball, expressed his satisfaction: “The start of the game was strange. It’s something we need to do better in the next game, for sure. But I’m very happy and proud of how the guys responded. Enzo Shahrvin brought a lot of energy. He has the ability to change games with his physical presence and rebounding skills. He did a very good job tonight, and in recent weeks generally. He’s very professional, and I’m happy to be able to give him more opportunities. We didn’t really have to make adjustments. As we said, the start of the game was tentative. But once we got defensive stops and were able to run in transition, it solved our problems. For us, it’s 0-0. Last year, we lost Game 2 in Dijon. This league is very competitive, and we know that Strasbourg will show a different face at home. They will give everything; we know their players and their highly successful coach. They will be aggressive from the start, and we expect that.”
Lamar Stevens, Paris’s forward, who scored 11 points, noted, “It’s always an adjustment to get back into rhythm after so much time without playing, especially when we’re used to playing 2 or 3 games a week. Nadir Hifi is super talented. When he’s in the zone, he’s impossible to stop. He draws so much defensive attention that it becomes super easy for us to find our preferred positions. We will approach the next game in the same way, telling ourselves it’s 0-0. We will try to stay true to our identity and be the best team we can be every night.”
At the Adidas Arena, Paris
