The defender of Loko, who brought the team victory over the reigning VTB United League champion Zenit with a decisive throw and rebound in the last seconds, immediately after the match shared his impressions with the club's press service.
- What are the emotions after the game?
- – Positive, of course! I am very glad that we won. Especially at Zenit! We have already played with them three times this season. We won for the first time in the Super Bowl, also in a difficult ending. We lost two meetings in the VTB United League, but also... my famous phrase "point to point" accurately describes the scenario of those matches. I am very glad that today we looked like a team on the court and eventually took this victory. Congratulations to the whole Locosemya on this success!
- How did you feel after the ball dropped into the basket after your decisive throw?
- - This time, while Jaylen Barford was with the ball, for some reason I knew that I would throw. Dima Kulagin, who was holding me, freaked out, freaked out, and I was waiting for this show - I was already saying "come on, come on." And JB still gave me a pass, and I scored. But he remained calm, did not give vent to emotions, because the match was not over yet. How many times has it happened when you get caught, and they throw you back. Moreover, there were as many as 4 seconds left. Yes, I was glad in my heart, but I kept my concentration to the last. But when the opponent missed, that's when he gave free rein to emotions.
- But you were the first on the rebound after the last throw of Zenit, you didn't give your opponents a chance for the second throw...
- – Yes, you can't switch off from the game until the final siren.
- Is this the most important hit in your career?
- – Yes, what's important there… I'm just glad I scored today, but I'm telling you, it wasn't my shot that won the game! The team chemistry was really felt today. Especially against such a powerful opponent as Zenit. I hope that such victories will bring us stability – and good luck in the next matches!
- Due to what today it was possible to maintain confidence – and even in a crowded hall? Or, on the contrary, did 7.5 thousand fans add emotions?
- – You just need to play according to the system that the coaching staff presents – both in defense and in attack. That's what gives confidence. We played all quarters on equal terms, almost all the time we were in the score. Such matches harden. By the way, a mini-sector of Loko fans has formed right behind our bench. Their support helped a lot, we felt it throughout the entire 40 minutes of the game! Thank you very much both to them and to our head of the press service, Vladimir Mozhaitsev, for inviting them to the match (laughs).
- We have already played with Zenit four times this season. We played in different tournaments, in different squads, in different emotional and psychological states. But all these games are united by intrigue – the fate of the matches was decided in the last seconds. Do you have an explanation for this?
- – During the season, there were a lot of such matches – when their fate is decided at the end – not only against Zenit. It is very important that we have won many of these meetings. That's the beauty of basketball! Such victories are expensive, you perceive them much more emotionally than when you beat an opponent "+30".
- Not only from a tournament point of view, but also from an emotional point of view – how important is this victory?
- – It is difficult to overestimate! Before that, we did not beat the teams from the top five this season. And the task before the playoffs is to climb as high as possible in the standings. So this beginning of the second stage can be called very successful.
- What can you say to Krasnodar fans?
- – The support was very felt, really! And we receive a lot of messages and congratulatory comments. It's nice that everyone lives basketball, supports us. It's great that there are people who, when we win, and, more importantly, when we lose, are always with us. Thank you, we really need you. Go ahead, Loco!
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