CSKA basketball player Trimble: “When Pistiolis came, I immediately understood that we would become champions”

CSKA Moscow basketball player Melo Trimble spoke about the team’s head coach Andreas Pistiolis, highlighting his strengths.

Shortly before the start of the playoffs last season, Pistiolis replaced Emil Rajkovic as the head coach of the army team. Under the Greek coach, CSKA won the VTB United League, defeating UNICS in the final series (4–1). In May, the coach extended his contract with the club until the end of the 2025/26 season.

– He is one of those guys who knows what he is talking about. He has worked with other good coaches and learned a lot, it shows. He worked with me in Turkey. And what he explained to me helped me a lot to become a better player. Last year, when we were going through difficulties, I thought of him as our coach all year.

I have nothing against the other specialist (Emil Rajkovic), but if Andreas had been our coach for the whole season, everything would have been different. Because I know what he is like.

When he came to our team, I immediately understood that we would become champions. He is simply a special coach. In my opinion, any player would want to play under his leadership.

I haven’t heard anything bad about him, whether it was in his previous team or in CSKA. No one has spoken negatively about him. He’s a good guy, including off the court, and a great coach who motivates us, motivates me.

And that’s exactly what I need, a guy who knows my game, knows me personally. Someone I can talk to on and off the court. And he’s that guy,” Trimble told The Championship.

CSKA participates in the United Russia Super Cup