After earning his 200th victory in the competition by downing Virtus on Friday, Ergin Ataman will look to guide Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (5-4) to a fourth straight win by overcoming Valencia Basket (5-4) which has slipped down the standings after losing three in a row.
Alex Mumbru, Valencia: 'They are playing at a high level on both ends'
Seasons
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 10 of 34
Group Regular Season
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The key figure behind the Greens' success in the double round week was Dinos Mitoglou (17.8 ppg., 6.7 rpg.), whose duel with Valencia forward Semi Ojeleye could prove crucial. The battle in the paint will feature a showdown between two players who know each other very well: Panathinaikos big man Aleksander Balcerowski and visiting center Damien Inglis were teammates last season at Gran Canaria, where they became EuroCup champions together.
Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach
"Valencia is a very good, young team. They play aggressive and they are the best defensive team in the league right now. Like last week, we have to use the advantage of playing at home. We have to feed off the energy of our fans, in these games you have to focus and look for the ways to win. Last week is over, it was good, but this is the EuroLeague and every game is important, especially if you play at home. Valencia do not run a lot. With Jones they like to controll the game, and Inglis and Davies provide security inside. The Spanish players also play aggressive and with energy, we have to pay attention to the whole team."
Alex Mumbru, Valencia head coach
"Panathinaikos is a great team, and they made a great effort during the summer with many new signings that featured important EuroLeague players like Lessort, Sloukas, Vildoza, the comeback of Mitoglou, Nunn just recently... Players that know the league so it will be a difficult game. They didn't styart too well because it was a lot of new players and they had to find the chemistry, which seems they have found in the last games. They are playing at a high level on both ends. In Athens, with a crowd that is pushing constantly, we know it will not be easy to win."
Marius Grigonis, Panathinaikos player
"Valencia are the best defensive team in the league, so I believe it could be an ugly game for the eyes. It will be a physical game, and they play kind of slow. We will see how it evolves, but that is what I expect. Jones basically controls the tempo and they play very physicial, they are that kind of team. We have to prepare for this on the court and also at a mental level."
Guillem Ferrando, Valencia player
"We travel to Greece in a complicated moment for us. Panathinaikos has very good players and they are just starting to play really well and getting the wins. Plus, at home they are really strong. After our three straight losses, and seeing how Real and Barcelona compete, I think we are in pretty good shape and we are confident for this game."