Coach Simone Pianigiani talked today about the upcoming EuroLeague game against Khimki Moscow and its outstanding scorer, Alexey Shved. “We are happy with the way we have performed so far. Now we are a little banged and hurt, but we have to play a special game against an opponent with a dangerous offensive potential. It doesn’t matter their 0-3 record because it was caused by the schedule and by an improbable last-second three against Efes. They have unique skills because the tempo is set by their leader, Alexey Shved. He’s not only scoring 28 points per game, he opens up everything for the other players. He’s shooting 15 threes per game, converting 48 percent of them, which is unreal once you evaluate how much the defenses are paying attention to him. He’s going to score, no matter what: the goal is to lower the percentages and keep all the other players under control, including their dynamic and versatile big men”, Coach Pianigiani explained.

“The key – he says – is to stay mentally strong when Shved is going to make some special baskets and to understand when we have to push the tempo and when to slow down a little, taking a foul, stuff like that. We need read the situations and find a way to win in order to make sense of the great Athens win of last week”.