Ergin Ataman on the big problems of Efes before the match against Partizan
Trainer Efesa Ergin Ataman he pointed out huge problems afterwards a convincing defeat against Maccabi. He spoke about the injured migrants and warned that the health condition of the players will practically destroy his team’s season, with a special emphasis on the duels against Real and Partizan next week. “Next week we have two very important games. We are not completely away from the playoffs at the moment and we have four more games at home. Regardless, we asked the Turkish Basketball Federation to postpone the match on Sunday and it was not accepted. On Sunday, we will play a championship match against Bahceşehir, and then on Tuesday a postponed match against Real, and then we will play a match against Partizan. Honestly, I don’t know at this moment what line-up we will play in those matches,” Ergin Ataman said after the defeat.
He also spoke Vasilij Micić, the injured Serbian ace who played this Friday against Maccabi despite being out for weeks with a knee problem. “Micić didn’t train with us for five weeks. In fact, he wouldn’t even play today, but last night I asked him (to play), because the game was very important. He said ‘I don’t want to play without even going to training ‘, but he didn’t refuse my request. Unfortunately, he’s not ready at all,” Ataman said of the playmaker who played less than 10 minutes.
The situation is similarly difficult with Shane Larkin, who returned to the floor after missing Wednesday’s visit to Zvezda due to injury. “Larkin was in the hospital on Monday, it was suspected that he had appendicitis. After two days in the hospital room, he was discharged from the hospital on Thursday. As you know, he did not even travel to Belgrade for the game. Psychologically, he was also not able to play, but we asked him to perform. And he played.”
And Rodrig Boboa played despite the injury he suffered in the final match between Red Star and Efes. “Boboa suffered a serious ankle injury in the last 4-5 minutes of the match against Zvezda. However, he also said that he wanted to play because of the importance of the match, but he renewed the injury in the first part of the match and I think he worsened the condition. Micić worked independently five weeks but he has a knee problem. We expect him to play every week, but he just can’t reach that level. The biggest surprise, of course, was Larkin’s appendicitis earlier in the week. That put a huge burden on Lloyd Bryant and Will Clyburn “, Ataman added.