"I'm No Magician, the Players Won the Game!" Navarro Praises Team, Highlights Davidovac: He Brings Great Balance

"I'm happy with the win. We started the game well, which gave us confidence even though we missed some shots. We did a great job on the glass, and the mistakes we made are completely fixable—they weren't fatal errors. The players were the deciding factor, not me; I'm no magician. They didn't let frustration take over after mistakes; we managed our emotions well despite the missed shots, which was a massive step up compared to previous games. We fought hard on the boards against beasts like Shengelia and Kabengele. The team stuck together the entire time and did what had to be done. We remained consistent from start to finish and took home the win. Basketball belongs to the players, not the coaches. As long as that's the case, we can go far. When they execute my ideas, it's great. Sometimes you feel like they don't want to, but it's a process—it's not about my ideas, it's about them." - Ibon Navarro

"We had to run small-ball lineups; we simply had no other choice. Semi Ojeleye played at the five and battled hard. He does whatever is asked of him. Even if you told him to just sit on the bench and chat with teammates, he would do it without hesitation." - Ibon Navarro

"Dejan Davidovac means a lot to this team. He possesses a high basketball IQ and great awareness. At times he forgets assignments because he hasn't had much game time with us and is mostly just practicing, but he is smart and picks things up immediately. He never lets his emotions get the best of him, which gives us real balance—especially since we have quite a few hot-headed players..." - Ibon Navarro