Fotios Takianos: «I Want to Congratulate My Players on the Victory»

«Astana's» head coach, Fotios Takianos, summed up the match against «MINSK.»

«It was a challenging game, not because of numerous problems, but due to the lack of time. We have a packed schedule with three consecutive away games. Obviously, we need time as a team to work and learn new things. Unfortunately, we don't have that time, and many things we are trying to build directly during the games.

I want to congratulate my players on securing the victory. We were more focused in the first half, especially during the first quarter when our offense and defense tactics were better than in the second. After the long break, it became clear that the players started to get tired, which led to turnovers and allowed the guests to close the gap in the score. Yet, we managed to control the course of the match and played as a team, and team basketball was our ultimate goal.

Now, we must analyze what we did well and what we did poorly, work on our mistakes, and prepare for the next game.

We have a challenging schedule, with players spending a lot of time on the court and feeling fatigued, but that's our job. I want to thank the medical staff for their critical work and for supporting the players.

Regarding Davis's condition? He was experiencing some back pain, but when I asked him, he said he wanted to play and contribute to the team despite the discomfort. He is receiving the necessary medical care, and we will need to monitor his condition moving forward.

Unfortunately, Dmitry Gavrilov has suffered a fracture of a small bone in his wrist and is out of action. His recovery is expected to take about two weeks.»