Spain quickly recovered from their disappointing start to EuroBasket, where they dropped their opening game to Georgia.
In Limassol, the reigning European powerhouse secured a much-needed victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, restoring both confidence and rhythm to their campaign.
Following the win, head coach Sergio Scariolo addressed the media and offered his reflections on the performance.
“Players were focused. We started a little bit nervous, but with energy, concentration, and intensity, we played good basketball for several minutes, with good team contribution – everybody helped,” Scariolo said at the postgame press conference.
His words highlighted both the collective effort and the resilience of his squad, who responded well to the pressure of bouncing back after a loss.
But Scariolo didn’t stop at on-court matters. He shifted gears and used the moment to deliver a pointed message to FIBA, raising concerns about player treatment and scheduling.
“Since it’s my last championship and I’m in a position where, after many years in FIBA national basketball, I can advise FIBA not to put doping controls on a team that is playing back-to-back games and finished playing at midnight. This is extremely disrespectful,” he stated firmly.
“With so many days available, the doping control could have been scheduled earlier instead of this crazy late-night timing. Hopefully, they will learn from this, because they are better than this.”
His comments showed concerns about scheduling affecting recovery. For Scariolo, it was about protecting players and fair conditions.
Sergio Scariolo: "I can advise FIBA not to put doping controls on a team that is playing back-to-back games and finished playing at midnight. This is extremely disrespectful."#EuroBaskethttps://t.co/nUCLfKmJ8C
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) August 30, 2025
