Denis Zakharov: "One shot could have decided the outcome"

Blue-whites guard Denis Zakharov summed up the away match against Kazan’s UNICS (75:71). In the game, he became the team’s top scorer with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist.

— You were the top scorer for Zenit. If we set aside the final result, are you satisfied with your personal performance?

— Overall, individually, yes, it wasn’t bad. But again, it’s hard to separate that from the result. Especially since I had the chance to take the game into overtime at the end. It didn’t quite work out, but we still had every chance to win. So, I can’t say it was a bad game overall. Maybe someone’s shots didn’t land, or things didn’t go as planned, but everyone who stepped on the court tried and fought hard.

— Once again, it was just a bit short of defeating UNICS. What’s the sticking point, the stumbling block?

— At the end, it was an even game, and either team could have won. Literally, one shot could have decided the outcome. So, I don’t know. We’ll watch, analyze, and break it down. It’s hard to say more on this right now.

— In less than a week, you face another key opponent. How challenging is it to play right after New Year’s in such a tight schedule?

— Well, we were preparing. Yes, we had a short break, but we were still training and getting ready. So, I wouldn’t say it’s particularly hard. All teams have this kind of schedule. Plus, it’s great that the game is at home. We’ll go out there and play to win.

— If you could change something about this game, what would it be?

— Of course, I’d want 100% shooting accuracy. Again, just one more point could have changed the result, I think.