Denis Zakharov: "We'll do our best to stop this train"

Zenit guard Denis Zakharov shared his expectations for the VTB United League semifinal series. The first game against Lokomotiv Kuban will take place tomorrow, May 5, at the CSC Arena. Tip-off is at 19:30 St. Petersburg time. Tickets are available on the official website of the blue-whites.

— How did the preparation for the semifinal go?

— After the quarterfinals, we had time both to rest and to prepare. It's good that the Loko vs. Uralmash series didn’t drag on either. We found out our opponent fairly quickly and immediately began preparing in detail.

— What are your expectations for the series?

— Naturally, it won’t be a easy walk, since all the remaining teams are from the top four. There were no surprises in the quarterfinals, so all the teams are serious contenders and all deserve to win. But we hope it will be us. We'll stick to our game plan that we developed with the coaches.

— What is the opponent’s strongest trait?

— Loko’s biggest strength is probably their fast-paced style. They try to transition quickly from defense to offense. So, we’ll do our best to stop that train.