Sergey Monya recently visited Krasnodar for the Lokobasket School League Superfinal. The renowned basketball player now heads the Department of National and Reserve Teams at the Russian Basketball Federation. We took the opportunity to ask Sergey Alexandrovich to weigh in on the semifinal series between Lokomotiv Kuban and CSKA.
- Were you surprised by Lokomotiv's victory in Game 1 of the series?
- I was happy for Seva Ishchenko; he played great. CSKA was, of course, the favorite, but Lokomotiv prepared very well and executed their game plan. Overall, it was a good game: attacking basketball, lots of action—the fans should have enjoyed it.
- What helped CSKA tie the series?
- Several factors came together. Right before Game 2, there was a celebration of 20th anniversary of the Euroleague title, bringing together basketball legends. I think this event gave the CSKA players a boost. Ishchenko and Alen Hadzibegovic had performed strongly at the start of the series, so the defense was different in Game 2. Patrick Miller was also pressed harder. However, the game was still even for three quarters, and in the first quarter, Lokomotiv actually had the advantage. But at one point, the Krasnodar team missed several shots in a row, and CSKA didn't forgive them. Melo Trimble couldn't afford to play poorly for two games in a row–after all, he's the team's leader, one of the best players in the league. And at the decisive moment in the second game, he made his mark. Overall, taking home a 1-1 draw from Moscow is a good result for Lokomotiv. I think we'll see a very interesting continuation of this tactical battle in Krasnodar. A kind of chess game begins, with both coaches studying the opposing team's strengths and weaknesses. The first two matches of the series have accumulated a wealth of interesting material to study.
- What could be the deciding factor in the upcoming games?
- The playoffs have their own specifics: a lot of games must be played in a short period of time. Frequent travel between Moscow and Krasnodar will begin now. Character and desire will come to the fore. Whoever has the most energy left for the decisive games, whoever shows more composure in crucial moments, will gain an advantage. Therefore, it's crucial to utilize a large rotation—as Lokomotiv did in Game 2, using 11 players on the roster. I think this was the right decision, because no one knows how many games there will be. It's very difficult to pull off a best-of-seven series with 8-9 players. Injuries and fatigue will gradually accumulate, so everyone needs to be in good shape.
- What score do you think the series will end with?
- The way things are going so far, I wouldn't be surprised if they have to play all seven games. And that would be a highlight of our basketball. These are high-level teams competing, showing their best, and it's a treat for the fans. I'm also glad that the young players are getting a lot of playing time in this series. I'll mention Ishchenko again. His progress is truly impressive. In general, in the VTB United League semifinals, I root for all the Russian players, not just any team. I work for the national team, so when our players play well, I'm happy.
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