The team from Ljubljana lost to Partizan at home tonight 85:79, and Zvezdan Mitrović was taken aback and at the press conference he spoke about the poor refereeing that is constantly recurring.
"I would like to congratulate the players of both teams, Partizan and us, on a great game. It was a good game. Statistically, when someone shoots 37 free throws and you only shoot 16, then you know what it is that the criteria are not in place. I was just looking at the data, unrelated to this game, that we are the team that is shot against by far the most free throws in the ABA League, 150 more than we shot. In the Eurocup, we have much less. Let me comment on something, that I am being taken money, that I am being punished non-stop with this on the field for no reason or with a reason, that I am getting into tactics and some stories... Igokea 45 free throws, Zadar 40, tonight 37 in an even game, where the teams are more athletic. We play top-notch in the Eurocup, where all of that is at a much, much lower level, you can check the statistics, and then you get a little sick of commenting on the game," said the 56-year-old from Podgorica.
The numbers confirm his thesis – the "dragons" kicked 504 shots in the ABA League, while their rivals kicked 654 shots against them, and in the Eurocup the score is 470:445 in favor of his team.
"They are playing against a Euroleague team, against a club where one player costs as much as all of us and they are fighting. The sadness was even greater against Dubai, in the last minute or two some decisions changed the game and it was said that they were mistakes. It is difficult for me as a coach. I am proud of the team, I said that in the locker room, and despite everything I encourage them to train, to work and to fight to the maximum. I am happy there, and I don't know about the other things either. Let those who should watch watch. This is bad. If I lie, the numbers don't lie. There are also nice videos, they don't lie either."
With this defeat, Cedevita Olimpija is definitely stuck in 6th place, and Mitrović regrets that he could not count on two teenagers tonight.
"I'm most sorry that Ciperle and young Derin Dzhan weren't there, and that Cameron Uindo was injured, so I gave him more time than he needed, because he came in from an injury. At least I know that they played it safe, like in Belgrade, to gain experience. Nothing else, everything OK," concluded the Montenegro coach.
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