Marjan Ilievski, head coach of KB Sigal Prishtina: Our team play was most important

KB Sigal Prishtina is the winner of EUROHOLD Balkan League for season 2014/2015 and one of the reasons is the work the head coach Marjan Ilievski did, since he joined the club. Here is what he said after his team lifted the trophy in Samokov:

"I′ll get back to the team we played in Prishtina where the positive pressure we had from the atmosphere, resulted in us having worse performance that what we had before against Rilski. I said before the game that I′m convinced that pressure will now turn to Rilski and I′m happy that it happened. I want to congratulate my players for everything they went through in that period since I came. For all ups and downs we had and for everybody that believed we can reach that goal - and it was this night, to be happy after the Final.

Our team play was the most important thing. The atmosphere that was between the players, between the players and the coaching staff, between everybody. That created a very good chemistry which was sure to bring us results. It′s not by accident that we called us family. When we were losing we were together, when we were winning also. Each time we wanted to keep the balance and to be very much up or very much down. When you are together with the one that believes in you, you know which step is the next one, you know where you did wrong and you know what you have to fix.

Regarding this second game - our goal was the close down Rakocevic with whom we had a problem in the first, and to slow down Taylor who in Prishtina played great. We did what we had to do but this time Gugino surprised us. I was OK with us defending like that and if it was his night, his Final, I was prepared to let it be."