Absheron Lions head coach Erhan Toker addressed the media following his team's 93-98 defeat to Sabah in the opening game of the Azerbaijan Basketball League final series.

Offsideplus.az reports that the experienced specialist cited injuries and the physical condition of his players as the primary reasons for the loss. The head coach emphasized that the team is facing significant struggles in the center position:

"We played well and fought hard; we just couldn't close it out. Following Jalen Shaw, Saadettin Donat was also sidelined due to injury. Gediminas Orelik was ill leading up to game day and was trying to recover through treatment. As you know, James Frazier was injured in the game against Neftchi; despite his hand being swollen, he made a great sacrifice to step onto the court today."

Toker noted that the opponent took advantage of their superiority in the paint:

"We were left with only three potential players for the center position: Gediminas Orelik, Nijat Mammalli, and Arinze Chidom. Orelik was struggling, and I had to bench Chidom as he approached the foul limit. The opponent began to exploit the interior and took the lead. They increased their intensity, and we were unable to respond appropriately."

Despite the defeat, the head coach praised his team's perseverance:

"I want to thank my players for their fighting spirit and let them know I am proud of them. I congratulate Sabah on the victory; they had a deeper rotation. The rest of the series will not be easy, but if the number of our healthy players increases, we will do whatever it takes to win the next match."

It should be noted that the final series will continue until one team reaches three victories. Currently, Sabah leads the series 1-0.