The Armenian national basketball team will spend its first match at the European Championship for Small Countries on June 28th. The Armenian team is one of the favorites of the group. At the end of the training camp the team played two matches with Iranian teams and obviously prevailed over the opponents. Before the launch of the European Championship for Small Countries team’s head coach Tigran Gyokchyan summed up the matches and spoke about the team and its future opponents in an interview with the ANOC press service.

-Mr. Gyokchyan, throughout the match with the Iranian team you were constantly dissatisfied with something. Are you satisfied know when the team has won both friendlies?

-I’m not that satisfied because the match lasted quite long and the referees were uncontrollable. My team played by 70 percent of its potential. Of course, these matches gave us much experience. In Moldova also there will be partialities, fair or unfair decisions. The Iran national team was a quite strong opponent with strong technique. The players were doing a wonderful teamwork from time to time.

-Did you do experiments during the two matches?

-Surely, experiments were done. It was connected with Dunston; one was done with his participation, the other without it. The score of the mentioned match had to be higher but we couldn’t control our emotions.

-I am sure you have already examined the national teams of Moldova, Andorra and Wales. What kind of opponents are they for us?

-The three teams are strong opponents and act in a well-organized way. They have European play style. If we use our potential we will win at the European Championship for Small Countries.

-Mr. Gyokchyan, you have also followed the youth team during these days. What’s your opinion on them?

-It’s not the first match when the youth team makes a bad start but then ends the match wonderfully. They didn’t play bad with the Iranian teams. The team was playing very organized during the last two quarters. Anyway, it was interesting to see them play. I am sure they will start playing better after a few matches.

-What is going to be with the team after the European Championship?

-This year we won’t have training camps any more as one part of the team works, the other part still studies. This year we will end with the championship. Creating this team we attracted everyone’s interest towards the national team and basketball, in general. I am usually not so pleased with my work as a coach thinking that I could do more. This time I have an inner confidence that this team has a great future. This way we can prepare a good base for young and junior players.

ANOC press service