Xavi Pascual: "It was very difficult to come back to the game after the beginning"
Zenit head coach Xavi Pascual commented on the result of the second match of the VTB United League semi-final series against Lokomotiv Kuban (85:80).
— Big thanks to all the fans that they were today, they helped us a lot. It was very difficult to come back to the game after the beginning. And it was one moment when we started the last quarter that the game was looking point by point. But when they took this 10−11 points advantage in the last quarter, it was one very difficult moment for us. But we found a way. We found a way to play defense a little bit more solid, to not make turnovers, to control the game in offense through low posts. We scored important open shots, we still won two balls that gave us some fast breaks and we closed the game.
— First of all, I want to congratulate you with the award for the best coach of the season. Secondly — with 25th win in a row. Do you agree that this game was the most emotional in all the season so far?
— Yes, I will start from the last question. I think, yes, it's playoff time. On playoff, everything is different. These kind of games are the most emotional, the most difficult for the supporters, for the players, for the coaches, for everybody. But in the meantime, the most beautiful for everybody.
They told me about these 25 wins consecutive, that is the record now in the history and obviously my congratulations to all the players for what they did and this achievement that is huge and nothing else. We want to continue.
And about the best coach of the season, these kind of individual awards are very nice to receive. First of all, to say thank you to the VTB. But this is an award that is not only for me, for all my staff, assistants, doctors, media, organisation and of course especially for the players.
— Well, what do you think was the most important in terms of winning the game: this run 17:0 or the way we played in the last quarter?
— Difficult to answer, both. I remember one time out that I said to the guys: “Ok, we have to go ball by ball, but we have to go to the half time inside of the game”. And finally it was big part of the achievement was this moment but also the last part of the game also was very important, how we dominate the rebound also the most important moment.
