Pitino: “I am really proud of the guys”

The head coach of Panathinaikos OPAP, Rick Pitino stated after the end of the game against Real Madrid:

"Two out of three games, we played our hearts out and we got beat by a better basketball team and that is what happens in the playoffs. They continually made shots with no time on the clock and they are a great shooting team. Tonight, we didn't turn the ball over, which kept us in the game, but they have it all. They have great shot blockers, size, speed, their point guard [Campazzo] had a great series... but they are just a great shooting team. They have all the answers, but I am really proud of this basketball team, because they backed us to the wall, we had little chance to make it to the playoffs, but did it. They fought hard and won four games on the road, a couple against teams that needed the win, so I am really proud of the guys. They gave great effort tonight, the crowd was awesome, and we lost to a better basketball team."

"It was a very tight game and we really had some wide open shots that didn't go down. They had some really difficult shots that did go down. I have always said this in coaching: I have had some not great teams that made Final Fours because they could shoot, and shooting kills a multitude of sins. When you have weaknesses, if you can shoot, you can erase those mistakes and tonight, on numerous occasions, they had no time on the clock and they made the shot, and they have done it the whole series."