Interview

Andrei Martyuk: “We are ready for play-offs – both mentally and physically”

Against UNICS (94:82) the Lokomotiv Kuban center scored 23 points and made 9 rebounds.
It seemed like the 1st quarter was quite bad for Loko...
Why bad? We played well. It was the very start: we try the opponent, the opponent tries us. Yes, we weren't okay at the rebounds, but then we made adjustments and it got better.
What exactly helps getting more rebounds?
Adding aggressiveness, making better timing at box-outs.
What did coaches tell you in the half-time break?
To fix the defense, to adjust some tactical moments. Plus we came out with the good energy - that's how we managed to break away.
What helped the team not to let UNICS closer in their final run?
Calmness, I suppose. When you lead by 9-10 points, the most important thing is not to start rushing. You need to bring the game to the desired result calmly. We did it.
Loko made only 7 turnovers this evening. Is this also because of calmness?
Yes. And also because of a solid game. We played smart today, attacked the opponent's weak points.
Are you ready for play-offs?
We have hard training sessions these days. I think it helps. We are ready for play-offs – both mentally and physically
Did you hear the stands today?
For sure! Thanks to everyone who came to shout and encourage us to win.
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