Spanoulis praises Obradovic as a legend, denies personal rivalry
By Stefan Acevski / info@eurohoops.net
Aris defeated Panathinaikos 101-91 in the fifth round of the Greek championship, following a compelling match in Thessaloniki.
This result marked Vassilis Spanoulis’ first win against Zeljko Obradovic in head-to-head encounters, after two defeats while serving on the bench at Monaco.
During his press conference remarks, Spanoulis highlighted the Serbian coach when questioned regarding any potential rivalry between them.
“Zeljko Obradovic is a legend of European basketball, one of the greatest, if not the greatest coach in history. We all know what he has achieved, how many titles he has won with different teams, how many players he has coached, and I was one of them and have great respect for him. I learned a great deal from him in basketball. Whether I won or lost, we move forward. It is not a personal rivalry between me and Mr. Obradovic. I have tremendous respect for him and thank him for what I learned during the years we were together.”
Spanoulis congratulated his squad in the press following a significant win.
“Congratulations to my team for the excellent performance and the victory, congratulations to Panathinaikos as well. I believe we saw an excellent game, of high level, with a lot of points. I think everyone enjoyed it, the people who came, the people who watched it on TV. We gave our soul for 40 minutes against a great team. At the moment, along with Olympiacos, they are the top teams in the EuroLeague with huge budgets, super teams, with excellent coaches and players.
We managed to play our own style, displaying energy and intelligence, and showed heart when Yabusele hit that crucial three-pointer to take the lead. It is not easy for a new team to respond in that situation, as it is a difficult moment. However, we remained united, played as a team, and secured an important victory for the Aris organization. I want to thank the fans once again for their presence; they gave us strength, and we continue.
