MADRID, 8 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Real Madrid coach, Chus Mateo, congratulated his team for the “great team defence” this Thursday in an important 1-1 defeat against Joventut in the Endesa League semifinal series, despite the wear and tear of the entire season and with an especially good job on gunner Kyle Guy.
“We started the game with more drive than them, but they have a lot of resources, especially when we stopped having enough energy in defense. We were able to win from behind, from defense,” he said at a press conference after the second match, which Madrid used to go to the Olímpic at least tied.
The whites’ coach highlighted the progression in defense of his team, marking Guy after the American’s 30 points in the first game. “We were able to win without hitting three-point shots. We’ve been tougher on rebounding and defending. We’ve defended Guy very well and at times Tomic. Feliz and Parra grew up for us but in the second half we defended them well. We It has given us a bit of confidence, it seemed that we had not found out that the semifinals had started”, he stated.
Mateo, who also highlighted the return of Poirier, insisted on Guy’s defense although he spoke of “team defense”. “The work of Hanga and Rudy has been important, but also the work of the team. You don’t have to relax with Guy. You have to keep him the next day, when he wakes up it’s very difficult to stop, but you don’t have to stop defending the rest. They are very good. We have made a great team defense”, he said.
“He wanted us to play well, without thinking about Tuesday. We shouldn’t create anxiety. Let’s continue working patiently and calmly. That’s what we’ve done up to now and, now, only focused on the third game. We’re going to try to find the energy. It matters to understand how to win”, he finished, speaking of the long calendar with more than 80 games already this season.