With 19 points scored, the Lokomotiv Kuban guard became one of the key figures in the victorious game against CSKA (97:88 OT).
- Congrats on the win! What can you say about the game?
- We gave it our all, and we're very happy with the result. There were a lot of mistakes, but we intended that we could fix our mistakes with good energy and dedication, and everything would work out. In the end, not everything worked out, but still we won.
- Are you happy with your performance?
- Partly yes, partly no. You can always play better. I didn't make several stops on defense, and I didn't play as well as I wanted on offense. But that's basketball: mistakes happen, you just have to try to forget them, switch gears, and keep playing.
- Today, Casper Ware scored his first points late in the game, and Melo Trimble also didn't perform good. Did you specifically try to stop these players?
- Well, of course, we analyzed them; they're the team leaders. But CSKA's strength is primarily their team play. So, our primary goal wasn't to prevent Ware and Trimble from scoring. We simply had to defend well as a team and follow the coach's game plan.
- What helped Loko make a 8:0 run at the start of overtime?
- Our good defense, dedication, and rebounding. CSKA is very good at offensive rebounding, and we worked as a team to control that aspect of our game. Some things didn't work out, but we fought hard.
- Probably, CSKA will be hyper-motivated for the next game after today's defeat. How can you secure another victory?
- I think they come into every game hyper-motivated. We just need to try to play the same way in terms of energy, communication, and faith in each other, and the rest will come.
- There were a lot of people in the Krasnodar fan section today; sometimes you could hear them louder than the CSKA fans. What would you say to Lokomotiv fans?
- Only the warmest words. Thank you so much for supporting us in Moscow during this important time for us. We were very pleased; you were heard practically the entire game. Maybe except for the moments when we were shouting louder on the court. But again, we are very grateful for your support.
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