Peppe Poeta slams Olimpia Milano: “We can’t afford this”
Olimpia Milano was crushed in its EuroLeague season opener, with Partizan Belgrade coming away with a 92-76 victory—a particularly harsh defeat for the Milanese team. Coach Peppe Poeta’s postgame comments were also harsh toward the players: “We were too individualistic in the fourth quarter. And given how our team is built, we can’t afford that—especially since we’re a completely new group and, honestly, we’re still in the midst of an ongoing process.”
“We certainly could have done better, and we struggled with Partizan’s aggressiveness, especially in the fourth quarter. We didn’t play badly in the first three quarters, but we need to remember to always move the ball patiently and keep up the pressure. Today we have nine new players—a few rookies and some veterans—but for others, it’s a process. Guridic is an important player who has already proven his worth in the Super Cup; others, like Cole and Burnell, need to adapt,” Poeta observed regarding his Olimpia Milano team.
After all, the concept of “process” is nothing new for the red-and-whites. Even after the Italian Super Cup victory over Reyer Venezia—won in overtime just five days ago—Poeta himself had already sounded a note of caution: “It’s very early. This was a game on September 25, and I’m saying this after a win. It takes time and mutual understanding. We’ve changed the entire starting five; it’s a process.” It’s a philosophy that the coach from Campania consistently upholds, aware that the major summer overhaul requires time and a settling-in period.
Speaking specifically about Cole and Thompson, Poeta had already expressed confidence after the Super Cup final: “There’s work to be done. The former has had some good games, but they need to learn to perform with fewer possessions and in fewer minutes. That’s where their adjustment to the level here comes in. This year, you might only get 7 or 8 pick-and-rolls and you have to make the most of them. But I have tremendous confidence in both of them. Cole struggled at first in the Champions League and EuroCup as well, but he’s always ended up doing very well. He’s highly adaptable; I hope he succeeds here too. The same goes for Burnell and Mathews, rookies at this level. They need to get a feel for the nuances of the game.”
The Belgrade lineup was also hampered by the absence of Mathews, the American shooter who sat out due to a minor muscle strain. The former Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers player, who was already held out as a precaution in the Super Cup semifinal against Virtus Bologna, should be available again as early as next Tuesday, when the Forum will host the V Nere in the second round of the EuroLeague. The European campaign, however, is already an uphill battle.
