MILOJEVIC: “I HAVE NOTHING TO RESENT TO PLAYERS”

The absence of even four players from the first team due to injuries for Mega Leks significantly influenced the outcome and other details of the final series of the playoffs of ABA league. Without the necessary aggressiveness in defense, which during the season was a trademark of Mega, Dejan Milojevic young team could not create surprise and at the “Aleksandar Nikolic” hall to beat favored Crvena zvezda Telekom.

“We entered the match badly and as far as energy and concentration. We had a lot of bad decisions in the attack. This should not happen to us if we want to beat Crvena zvezda. We are now in a difficult situation, we are aware of our mistakes, and we will at least try to extend series in Mitrovica”,

stated after the match Danilo Nikolic.

Coach Dejan Milojevic Mega Leks congratulated Zvezda on this well deserved victory and then added:

“I have nothing to blame my players, because the Zvezda is much better when we are in full force, let alone in such a shortened rotation. Without a very aggressive defense we simply can not compete with Zvezda. In a situation where two teams have such a difference in quality, what we have, that this poorer quality team must have won with a lot more energy. We simply due to the shortened rotation of the energy we do not. So you can see that the players are too tired, playing over 30 minutes. Even this night happened that two players had a fever. But what to do, we have to fight with it. For two days I have to play another match, this will be the third game in five days. With such a small fund players it will be practically impossible. We will try to recover, to do our best to finish this dignified finale, which is a historic success for our club. We do not surrender in advance, but we are realistic and we know it will be very difficult after a 2:0 in the series three times in a row to beat Crvena zvezda”,

said Milojevic and then analyzed in detail match:

“Zvezda have huge advantage, because of the lead of 2:0, because of the quality of the team, the longer rotation. Zvezda played with 10 players. Radonjic is a great coach, the benefits of quality teams that has a good track record, so they deserved to win. We fought as much as we can. There was a little hope six, seven minutes before the end when we come to the single-digit difference, but the quality of Zvezda has come to the fore. They put in important shots when it was most needed. However, when we have the necessary energy, then the ball goes out slowly from the pick, it is harder for pass the ball, just not doing it tonight. Zvezda in the half had only two turnovers as for our defense, forcing opponents to over 20 turnovers average during season. Our greatest qualities are the press and solid defense that in such a shortened rotation is difficult to play. I tried with some changes to confuse Zvezda’s defense , in some moments it worked, but you can win with this play Zvezda”,

concluded Milojevic.

Photo: Ivica Veselinov/Mega Leks