Gershon: “We’re the best. Robby knows he made a mistake when he insulted Maccabi.”

By Amy Samin

Winning coach Pini Gershon was satisfied after the game, and said, “I think that we’re the best team in Israel, but that doesn’t mean we can’t lose.
And when we do, it’s our own fault.
The first game of this series could have ended exactly like this one, but we didn’t know how to pull it off.
We have to play accordingly in the rest of our games, and to fix our shortcomings.
We have 13 – 14 players, and on any given day any one of them can play, even with a five point difference.
I hope all of them will come into the Final Four at the peak of their abilities, whether they play for one minute or thirty.”

Of course, Gershon couldn’t resist blistering his rival coach, Robby Belinko, for the arrogance he showed after the first game in the series.
“Robby’s a good guy and I think he wanted to get something from the things he said.
But I think he has learned a lesson from his remarks.
I’ve learned from people who are smarter than I am that what you don’t say, you can’t be punished for.
He knows that he insulted Maccabi and while sometimes empires crumble, you need to control yourself.”
About Ashkelon, Gershon said, “I think they deserve better than eighth place.
You need to respect your rivals, and we gave them the respect they deserved.
We came ready for this game because we respected them.”

And what did Robby Belinko have to say?
He was especially proud of his team. “I wish Maccabi Tel Aviv well, and hope they take the championship, so we can say we lost to the champion.
To come into a playoff series against them isn’t easy, and we came into it from the bottom of the league.
I think I can be very proud of my team.
No one would have bet we’d get past three games, and we surprised them all and took the first game of the series.
The differences in the quality of the two teams were obvious, and it was very difficult.
I’m proud of my players and of the team we’ve built in Ashkelon.
I’m finishing this series with my head held high; we put up the best fight we could.”

The Ashkelon coach also analyzed Maccabi’s chances in the Final Four: “From game to game Maccabi has improved, and they’re coming into the Final Four in great shape.
There are some players who, in the series against us, really came to life, like Tal Burstein.
Maccabi is the best team in Israel on paper, but in any game things can happen.
If you want to put it in percentages, then their chances are about 90%, but in that 10% it’s impossible to say.”

Carlos Arroyosaid
after the game: “I think that the positive thing is that it keeps you pumped up, because it’s all close. The series against Ashkelon taught us not to let up even for a second.
That will help us in the future.”

Guard Dee Brown said, “This series wasn’t easy, but I know that every team will be at its best against Maccabi.
The next step is to take the championship.
We know how to handle the stress when it’s one game and not a series.
Starting from now, we know it will be easy because everything depends on it.”

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