Alexander Shcherbenev: "We realised there was no margin for error"

Zenit St. Petersburg guard Alexander Shcherbenev shared his thoughts on the team’s away victory over Samara (73:106). Alexander spoke about maintaining focus throughout the game and emphasized the importance of giving young players practical experience.

— It’s nice to secure such a confident victory here. It shows that we didn’t underestimate our opponent. We approached the game with focus and executed the plan overall. The only downside was allowing 27 points in the first quarter. For the rest of the game, we managed to contain the opponent, imposed our style of basketball, and won because of that. I wish Samara the best of luck going forward and as many victories as possible.

— How do you manage to maintain focus, especially knowing you already crushed the opponent in the first game? Surely, there’s a temptation to relax. Does the coach help with that?

— Yes, the coach doesn’t let us relax, of course. And there’s also the fact that we came here with just ten players. We realised there was no margin for error, so we played for each other, and I think that helped us achieve the result.

— Are games like these a breath of fresh air? Are they necessary in a demanding schedule?

— In general, yes, it’s nice. Because there are so many tough games. But I don’t want to underestimate Samara. It’s great that we won so confidently. And, of course, the most important thing is that everyone got a chance to feel the game, to touch the ball. The young guys scored and got some minutes on the court. So, I’m sure this victory will be very valuable for us.