The Loko’ defender made 0 out of 6 free throws in the game versus Runa (80:74), but this did not stop him from contributing to the victory in other ways: 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 interceptions and the third-highest efficiency rate in the team (11).
- – Did Runa surprise you today?
- – We knew Runa is a strong team. By no means we underestimated them. Their results should not be misleading. They have strong guys – both Russians and foreigners, they play good team basketball. We seemed to have created a good lead at the beginning, but they were able to reduce it to 10, and then even to 3 points. They dragged us into the clutch. Everything could be much calmer for us if someone scored free throws better (sighs).
- – How do you evaluate the results of Loko after the first round?
- – As they say, there were ups and downs. At the beginning of the tournament, we dug a hole, jumped in, and then pulled ourselves out, stabilizing our game. Now we are in the stage of improving it. It's great to have Maurice Ndour with us. He will probably help us both in defense and in attack. I think that everything is in our hands now. We will prepare for the second stage in order to get closer to the very top.
- – Which opponent at the second round will be the main rival to you?
- – Yeah, there will be teams who have defeated us this season. Some of them even twice! So, we will have an opportunity to return the favor. But we are not going to focus on anyone, we will just try to win every next game. And then we’ll see where we end up.
- – In a few days you will play the second match of the Winline Russian Cup against Uralmash. What do you expect from this game?
- – I expect very strong support from our beloved fans. On February 7, we will need it more than ever. We promise that we will do everything possible to win back the gap that remains after the first game. With your support this will be much easier to do, Lokofamily! I'm waiting for you in the stands!
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