Xavi Pascual: "The last minutes of the third quarter were crucial"

Zenit head coach Xavi Pascual summed up the results of the away match against Uralmash (67:81). The coach of the blue-whites told what moment influenced the outcome of the meeting, and also noted the good atmosphere at the arena in Yekaterinburg.

— One game that is going to be again in 15 days, that we are going to play at home against Uralmash again. We didn't start well, especially we were not effective. Our game was not so awful, but we didn't score under the basket, we didn't score open three points, we didn't score in all the situations. But step by step, defense by defense, we started to feel the game better. In the last three quarters, we scored 72 points, if I am not wrong. So, step by step, we were much better and we closed this important game for us.

— When Zenit comes to Yekaterinburg, it's always a big match, a big sign, a lot of fans. Did you feel any pressure?

— Always is a pressure to play in this competition with a lot of fans that they push their team. I have to congratulate Uralmash because of this. And for us it's always very nice to be here in this kind of atmosphere. So just to say congratulations and this is what we like as a coach, as a player, to play with supporters. But because finally our job is because of them.

— Can you point out the key moments in the match when the game changed for Zenit?

— I think in the last two minutes of the third quarter. I think this moment was crucial because we changed the score and we made one step more in our game and in the last quarter we continued like this. I think the last moment of the third quarter was very important.