"We imagine that at home they will want to make amends for their poor game in Lithuania. A 40-point win is not normal, and you do not expect such a margin. They will come out wounded, and that makes them more dangerous," said the Zaragoza coach. Regarding the two preseason games played against the Greek side, Cantero said they were "useful because we got an idea of their weaknesses and strengths." Although they were missing some players from their roster, the Madrid-born coach stressed that it is a team "based more on individual talent, and we will try to stop those players and bring the game onto our terms."
Regarding the atmosphere Casademont Zaragoza could encounter in Athens, Cantero pointed out that they have never played in Greece and that "both Kristine (Vitola) and Merritt (Hempe) have played for Olympiakos, so you can expect it, judging by what they tell us." "They will need their home crowd, and we are going there with the idea of playing in that kind of atmosphere, even though we do not know what we are going to find," he added.
THE TEAM'S LEVEL OF DEMAND
Casademont Zaragoza have looked far superior to their opponents in league competition, something that surprises the coach because "the league is more evenly matched than the results suggest, and it seems that we are making our opponents look worse than they really are." This has led Cantero to demand more from his players, particularly individually, so they can continue to grow as a team.
"It affects us because, in the end, the higher the level at which you compete, the better you play on the court. It is not an anger that will last, but it is a demand I place on them so they can continue to grow and look ahead to the future. I am very happy with the team, but we need that competitive level to keep improving," he said of his request to his players.
When asked whether the rotation would be reduced because this is a EuroLeague game, Cantero said that all 12 players would continue to play, or at least that was his initial idea. "The roles of each player are becoming clear, and not everything each one contributes can be seen in the statistics. I want them to give me reasons for one of them to play more, and for it to be based on merit. What I want to avoid is anyone falling away, and the fact that everyone is contributing makes me very happy. Now I hope someone steps up and grows," he explained.
