Olimpia Milano still knocked out, Peppe Poeta talks about mental fragility

Coach Peppe Poeta analyzed the home loss against Brescia in no uncertain terms, stressing above all the mental limits shown by the team: “Right now we are fragile from the psychological point of view. It is the fourth game that we lose in the same way, after Red Star, Zalgiris and Varese. We have to react and do it together in moments of difficulty, not individually. This is the message I have to convey to the group, starting with the defense”.

Poeta then pointed out how the initial approach had been positive: “We played two very good quarters, but at the first difficulty we disunited, started playing individualism and stopped defending”.

On the weight of the 50 total points scored by Della Valle and Bilan, the coach explained: “We had started well, taking away Della Valle’s three-point shots. In the second half we couldn’t do that anymore and we lost physicality. The two threes we conceded in transition late in the second quarter, when we were in control, took away our confidence, while they were great at taking advantage of the moment”.

Poeta then addressed the issue of absences and the physical component: “Excuses can always be made, especially with so many injuries and especially among the Italians and the outfielders, which forced us to change different set-ups. But the truth is that we have to do better”.