Erdem Can: 'We need to take bigger steps'

Anadolu Efes Men's Basketball Team Head Coach Erdem Can stated that he was pleased with his team's performance in the 77-73 victory against Valencia Basket in the 4th week of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

Erdem Can made statements at the press conference held after the match against the Spanish representative at the Sinan Erdem Sports Hall.

Stating that Valencia Basket also fought well, Can said, "It was a very enjoyable match. I congratulate my players. We were on the court aware of the importance of the match. Especially in the second half, our energy intensity and game quality were at a high level. The EuroLeague is a long marathon. We need to be ready for these types of matches at all times. We only won one match today. Now we need to focus on the other matches."

Erdem Can mentioned that Valencia Basket is one of the best defensive teams in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and said, "In the first half, both teams played with certain defensive systems. We gave the reactions we needed to give to the defensive scheme and rotations they employed. I don't think we were bad offensively. We played against a very tough defensive team. They are the team that concedes the fewest points in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. I am pleased with the team's performance in certain areas."

Explaining that they are getting better every day, the head coach of the navy-white team expressed his views as follows: "We are moving forward step by step. However, we will determine within ourselves whether those steps will be baby steps or giant strides through the process we go through. The EuroLeague does not wait for you to go with small steps. We need to take bigger steps. There is progress, and we need to accelerate it. I have a system that I implemented at Türk Telekom last season. However, it is not easy to establish these. There are players' habits and new players who have joined. We need to get to know each other, first trust each other, and then act together."

Emphasizing that Erkan Yılmaz has high potential, Can noted the following:

"Erkan is a very valuable player. I think he is one of the few versatile players in Europe today. When I told him last season where he could reach, he didn't even believe it himself. When you put the potential in front of them, there are many places our players can go. Erkan also contributed a lot on defense today. The fact that Jones and Erkan understood the system from last season helps cover many gaps. I hope we will move forward by acting together more over time. Not just Erkan, but all our players have great potential. I hope they will also contribute over time."

News Source: 12punto