Interview

Kirill Temirov: “When we get involved in team defense, everything works out in attack”

The Loko forward scored 13 points against Zenit (117:98), making several crucial shots.
How can you describe your emotions right now?
The emotions are wild! Today we beat a team from the Top-4 and we are very happy about it!
What is the key reason for this victory?
We analyze each opponent before the game. The coaching staff told us who to attack, told us about specific combinations that should be played against them. We strictly followed the game instructions, that's why we won.
What was more important today – offence or defense?
It was good defense that helped us make a run in the 3rd quarter. When we get involved in team defense, everything works out in attack. Of course, there were mistakes, but we tried not to dwell on them and move on according to our plan.
How tough was the ending today?
I think we were a little tired towards the end of the third quarter because we were playing fast, running a lot. The coaching staff called a timeout at the right moment, cheered us up, and we came out on the court with the right energy again.
At some point, an incident involving you resulted in a mutual technical foul...
The head coach told us to play tough, not to let the opponent score easy points. I saw that a Zenit player was going under the hoop, and I fouled. I admit that it was a hard foul. Then the opponent's players came to me, and I suggested to discuss it. But, as we can see, they didn't want to, so I think it's clear who won this argument.
Aren’t you afraid that you might underestimate Samara in the wake of this euphoria?
We understand that everything depends only on us. Samara is a good team that shows character and always fights to the end. But we want to take revenge and will do our best to win.
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