Venice: Neven Spahija Explains the Wiltjer Phenomenon

Reyer Venezia coach Neven Spahija spoke after the 104-98 victory over BC Roma: the Orogranata were led by Kyle Wiltjer, who scored 31 points.

“I’m certainly pleased that he finished with 32 points and a 36 efficiency rating, but honestly, I always prefer to see balance within the team. When almost only one player is scoring, it doesn’t last long in the long run. Tonight, Kyle did a great job of making up for the offensive output of his teammates, but my ideal scenario always involves five or six players scoring in double figures: when you play like that on offense, you almost always win. Jordan Parks also deserves special mention.”

Overall, Spahija praised the players’ performance: “In the second half, they did an extraordinary job, overcoming a talented team that played an excellent game. When your opponents score 28 points in a quarter, it shows they’re a strong team, but our comeback was exceptional: we stepped up on defense and played at a much higher level on offense compared to the first twenty minutes, even though we didn’t come close to matching Rome’s three-point shooting percentages.”

A thought on basketball in the capital: “I’m truly happy to be back in Rome some 22 or 23 years after the last time one of my teams played here—not in this specific arena, but in the capital. It’s wonderful to see top-level basketball make a grand return to Rome with two teams.”