AEK suffered a 95–68 defeat to Olympiacos in Game 2 of the Greek Basketball League (GBL) semifinals, ending their championship campaign. Head coach Dragan Sakota offered his initial assessment of the season in an interview with ERT.
Olympiacos’ Superiority Acknowledged
Sakota acknowledged Olympiacos’ dominance but described AEK’s season as successful overall. He left the door open for a possible return to the club’s bench next season, noting that his contract includes a mutual evaluation clause regarding his role moving forward.
Key Points from Sakota’s Post-Match Comments
‘It’s clear we haven’t built a squad capable of playing two games in three days — that kind of depth isn’t a luxury we have,’ Sakota said. ‘When one player goes down, it feels like losing three or four of our key contributors.’
He pointed to a sluggish first half, citing AEK’s lack of rhythm and inability to match Olympiacos’ pace, on-court chemistry, and in-game decision-making. ‘You need exceptional preparation — and more players with sustained energy — to keep up for 40 minutes,’ he added.
‘I didn’t expect much today. The season is over. We’ll take stock. We know it’s been a successful year for us — but there are things we need to address and decisions to make.’
Regarding his future, Sakota emphasized that his contract stipulates an annual review: ‘Every year, at our meeting, we discuss whether I continue — and if so, in what capacity. There’s no automatic renewal. It’s my choice — based on how I feel and whether I believe I can still contribute. I feel good. But there’s a lot more to analyze and discuss.’