“We had to play the playoff matches with only one-point guard.”
This was the reflection of Evren Alkaya, head coach of Sarhadchi, in a statement to the club’s press service following their 77–104 loss to Sabah in the second playoff game of the Azerbaijan Basketball League, Idman.biz reports.
The Turkish coach pointed to the absence of Antonio Williams as a key challenge:
“Antonio had to leave the country due to family reasons, which left us with just one playmaker. It’s tough to play like that. In the first game, we played well for three quarters but struggled in the fourth. Sabah knew that and started the second match with aggressive defense. Unfortunately, we didn’t defend well and failed to secure rebounds, giving them second-chance points.”
Alkaya also shared his thoughts on the team’s overall performance this season:
“Overall, the team didn’t play badly. We had some good performances. But winning is everything. I want to thank the management and the players for their support and wish everyone success. In the play-in, we had to play three games against a fast-paced team. And then, just eight days later, we played our fourth game against Sabah. At this level, it’s very hard for players to handle that many games in such a short time. Fatigue definitely affected our performance. We went into the final game too drained and lost. I wish everyone the best for next season.”
Idman.biz
