at the post game press conference…
Pio Reina: That was an unacceptable performance. Absolutely, positively, definitely unacceptable. I owe Juan Onrubia an apology, and so do his teammates. Juan absolutely did everything in his power to win this game, and we didn’t give him much help. I’m especially embarrassed at our rebounding. Best game in regards to turnovers all season, and we can’t get rebound? We finally get ball security straightened out and we can’t rebound? Are you kidding me?
Sam Dunkley: Coach, Sam Dunkley from the Basketball Times.
PR: Hi, Sam. Tough night here.
SD: Indeed. How much of tonight’s performance was due to Cheng Siu Wa’s very recent arrival?
PR: Zero percent. The guy he was opposite doesn’t score much. He rebounds, defends and blocks shots. That’s what he did tonight. Our guy only got 2 shots off and 4 rebounds. As a team we got destroyed on the boards; it wasn’t just his fault. They beat us up on the boards. Listen, Onrubia is a solid rebounder, but there is no way when you have guys like Arout Hairigyan, Chieng Siu Wa, and Ladislav Furka that we should get blasted on the boards like we did. If Onrubia is second on the team in rebounding like he was tonight, if I was a big man on this team I’d be utterly embarrassed. Masuecos was the only big who came to work.
Jimmy Buckitts: Coach, did the recent departure of Hugo Gareca affect you at all tonight?
PR: No. Not one iota.
JB: What about the lack of free throw attempts?
PR: I would have liked more free throws, but we got what we got.
Random reporter: Is there anything you can take away from this game?
PR: I’m guessing you guys want me to say that the ball moved better, and we took care of the ball. Our shot blocking ability flashed tonight. I’m supposed to say that. I’m supposed to say our three point shooting was good tonight. That’s what you guys want me to say, right? That’s what the guys in that locker room want me to say. Let me tell you guys something, and if you’re new here, you need to understand this. I demand defense, rebounding, and ball security. Everything else comes after that. We can’t score? OK; stop them from scoring. Grab rebounds. Take care of the basketball. Do those three things, and you have a chance in every game. Did our defense show up tonight? No. Did our rebounding show up tonight? No. Two out of the three things that are ingrained into the culture of this organization did not show up. The only thing I can take away from this is that the guys in the locker room need to man up and show me they want to play here, because this cannot continue. We done here? I need to go have more words with my basketball team. This was absolutely unacceptable.