Txus Vidorreta spoke after the Copa del Rey final. The Tenerife coach valued his team’s defeat against Unicajathe general balance of the tournament for his team and opted to give the semifinalists a day off and thus change the format of the championship.
How did you see the game?
“First of all, congratulate Unicaja and its players and the entire coaching staff. They have been the best in the tournament and they are fair winners. For us it was an incredible challenge to be able to play 40 minutes at the top. We played three games in a little over 50 hours and that has weighed heavily in the end. As long as we were able to bring oxygen to the brain and control the game, we were ahead. When the oxygen stopped coming it was very difficult for us to attack. We also don’t make the best defensive decisions. We are proud. It is the first final that we have lost, we have won many. For us to win three finals is a lot. This format does not benefit us, we are a veteran team”.
How can losing affect your team?
“Now there is a funeral. We have done a much better Cup than we could have expected. We played 7 games in 14 days, Unicaja 5. Three in 50 hours. Today, as expected, we noticed the absence of Joan Sastre a lot. A key man to defend the indirect blocks. He would have given the team more freshness. That being said, they’ve made the big shots and we haven’t. Of the eight triples that we scored, three do not count, the last one and two from Marcelinho from home”.
What did Shermadini think of the unsportsmanlike performance?
“It was a weird move. The referees know better than me. It was a very good week for arbitration. You have to turn the page. It may have significance, Gio’s foul is whistled, not the previous one and it seems that it drags him. Arbitration criteria. I don’t think it’s a Cup in which we have to talk about arbitration”.
Has a new rivalry been created with Unicaja?
“I have the rivalry against Joventut. We played seven games in one year and only one at home. More competition than that, don’t look for me. We are a very enthusiastic but modest team, we cannot be finding enemies everywhere. With Unicaja we have played few games this year. Youth and freshness were key, but above all having one more day. You have to start playing on Wednesdays. Wednesday-Thursday, Friday off, and Saturday-Sunday. The physicality and demand of current basketball is brutal. You have to turn it around. Whoever wants to come to the Cup will come on Wednesday. Things change. It is a fantastic competition but there are many details to improve and this is one”.
What does this final mean for the team?
“We always feel very supported, we are very proud of the fans. Thank you for the support. It was an unexpected final because the calendar made it very difficult for me to foresee that we were going to beat Joventut. Winning the final would have seemed like a miracle to me”.