The VTB United League is about to see another "brotherly rivalry." The Lokomotiv vs. Pari NN game could pit Ivan and Timofey Samoylenko against each other. Besides them, Zakhar and Mikhail Vedischev, as well as Dmitry and Mikhail Kulagin, also play for various teams (last season, the Gankevich brothers were also involved, but Pavel is currently playing in the 2nd Division).
- Have you ever played against your brother Timofey at a professional level?
- No, I haven't. We have a big age difference, like 6 years. This will be our first encounter.
- What do you think about this?
- I'm glad that we're both performing at such a high level. It's great that he's being given a chance. And that I'm being given a chance, too.
- Do you follow Timofey's games?
- Of course. I try to watch his every game, we're constantly in touch.
- So, how she doing at the VTB United League level?
- Ugh, that's a tough question. I'm a strict brother. I mostly point out his mistakes and try to teach him based on my own experience.
- What do you think Pari NN lacked to win the Russian Cup final?
- Honestly, I didn't watch the final yet, so I can't say. Their semifinals were exciting, with two overtimes. And in the final, judging by the fact that the difference was only one point, they might have simply run out of luck.
- You both play under the number "99". Have you discussed this with your brother?
- By the way, I didn’t ask why he took that number, but I think he just followed my example.
- What can you say in general about the next opponent?
- Pari NN is a strong opponent; they fight hard and provide good contact. It's always difficult to play against them.
- What will be the most important thing for Lokomotiv in this game?
- The most important thing is defense. It's our key in any game—against Nizhny, against CSKA, against any team. We always try to play a fast attack, which requires quality defense. And rebounding, of course, is also key thing.
- Lokomotiv's rebounding performance has improved in recent games, judging by the stats...
- Yes, with the arrival of Alen [Hadzibegovic] we have become much better at rebounding and, as I already said, this allows us to run into fast breaks.
- Where do you play better–at the Basket Hall or on the road?
- Of course, I prefer the Basket Hall–we have our own fans here, and they always support us passionately, driving us forward. It's a great atmosphere, and it's always a pleasure to play in it.
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