Alexey Shved: "We need to be more focused"

Blue-whites guard Alexey Shved analyzed the home game against Avtodor (91:68) exclusively for Zenit TV and discussed possible reasons for the team's poor start.

— Alexey, congratulations on the victory. At the very beginning, Zenit fans had a bit of a nerve-wracking experience. How would you assess the team's performance today?

— We played well in the second half: we caught up, came back and built a significant lead. But in the first half, we need to be more collected and play better because we often start the game unfocused. So far, we’ve been able to recover, but we need to change something.

— Why do you think the first half was unsuccessful?

— I’m not really sure, we seemed to be prepared. Avtodor has players who know how to play basketball, and they showed it today, especially in the first quarter — they got ahead by 15 points, maybe even a bit more. We’ll analyze it.

— Would you say it was just underestimating the opponent?

— I wouldn’t call it underestimation. We knew who we were up against, we studied their players for several days, and we knew what they were capable of. I think we just need to be more focused and execute the things our coach asks of us because too often, we either fail at simple things or do them differently. We need to get organized and play smart, confident basketball.

— If it’s not a secret, what did the coach say during halftime? It seems like he found the right words.

— Well, he’s the coach — you’d better ask him (laughs). But really, he told us to get it together. We can’t step onto the court and put on a performance like that at home, in front of our fans. We needed to improve our defense, move the ball more aggressively. I think in the third quarter, the ball movement was great. Even when we missed shots, they were open looks, and our offense was solid.

— Now, let’s talk about something other than the game. We’ve been enjoying the updates on your new Telegram channel. What made you start it?

— Oh, we just felt like it. We thought about it and decided to create a Telegram channel. It will feature basketball, fashion, my wife Nastya’s cooking, our daughters and travels. So I think people will find it interesting. We’ll try to make it engaging.

— Will you be watching Zenit’s football match against Spartak tonight? This game could be crucial in the Russian Premier League title race.

— Yes, of course, I’ll watch. It’s going to be an exciting match, and we wish them good luck.

I also want to thank Zenit fans for their support. Their energy is incredible. Whether it was against Astana, Samara, or today, so many people showed up and cheered loudly. They are our sixth player, and we truly appreciate them. Thank you so much for your support — it really helps us.