Before the game against MBA-MAI (88:67), the captain of Lokomotiv Kuban received the league's monthly award–and played like a true MVP: 21 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.
- What can you say about the game?
- It wasn't easy. We knew the game would be tough and physical, and we were ready for that. The most important part of the season is coming, and we need to play consistently at this level.
- What was the key factor for this win?
- Our energy in defense. Everyone came out on the court with the right attitude. As the coach said in the locker room after the game, everyone was fully committed: I was diving for loose balls, Pasha [Ryabkov] was diving for loose balls. Everyone was trying to give their best. Now it's important to continue building on this base.
- Did the award you received before the game give you some extra motivation?
- Extra motivation? No. I'm trying to give my best in every game. I feel like I've found a good rhythm now and am trying to be consistent.
- You invited the whole team for the award photo. Was that improvised?
- No, I had this idea before the game. As I said before, despite the name of the award, I consider it a team award. For someone to win it, the entire team has to play well and win important games. We had a great March, and I wanted to show that this award belongs to everyone on our team.
- What can you say about the team chemistry at the moment?
- It's good. You could see it yourself in our game against MBA-MAI. When Alen [Hadzibegovic] returns, we'll need to improve our chemistry again, but I'm confident it will happen quickly. We'll work hard and get better with every practice. The playoffs are coming up, and we're looking forward to play there.
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