Alexander Shcherbenev: "The series is in full swing, and we’ll keep going in the same spirit"
Zenit guard Alexander Shcherbenev shared his impressions after the 83:91 win over CSKA in Game 3 of the VTB United League finals, which took place today in Moscow.
— This is a very important win. We’ve regained home-court advantage. It’s our second win in a row, and we’ll keep fighting. It was tough — a tense finish. Fortunately, unlike the first game of the series, luck was on our side today. That means we’re learning the right lessons and moving in the right direction. The series is in full swing, and we’ll keep going in the same spirit.
— How did the team manage to focus for Game 3? The series was tied 1–1 in Saint Petersburg, and it was clear CSKA would come out aggressively today, especially with such strong home support.
— Yes, that’s true. If I’m not mistaken, that second game was CSKA’s first playoff loss. So we expected some kind of reaction from them. And since they were playing at home, they were definitely going to try to maintain that home-court advantage — which I believe is very important in the playoffs. We prepared as seriously as possible for the battle, and we managed to get the job done. Yes, there were some rough patches, but the key thing is that the team showed character, fought back, and made the right plays at the end.
— What aspects of Zenit’s game didn’t quite work today?
— At times, our offense got a bit disjointed. They shut down our point guards and shooting guards, trying to force us into more isolation play. On offense, they moved the ball well, which helped them go on some strong runs. But in the end, we played as a team and made some creative drives — not just straightforward ones. That helped us win this very important game today.
— Why is the first quarter always such a back-and-forth?
— Because every game is different. In the first quarter, we’re trying to understand the level of contact the referees are allowing — what they let go and what they don’t. And we adjust accordingly. Both we and CSKA analyze mistakes and prepare specific strategies, and most of the time those adjustments show up in the first quarter. So the first quarter is kind of a feeling-out period. There are surprises, and we gauge the level of contact allowed in this particular game. From there, we try to play as physically as possible in the remaining quarters. I don’t know how it looks from the outside, but on the court, it definitely feels intense.
— There were a lot of fans from St. Petersburg today. Did you hear them, and did their support help?
— Absolutely, we heard them. When we ran out onto the court, we clapped for them — we saw them. Even before the game started, they gave us an energy boost — a sort of home energy. We’re very grateful and happy that we were able to make them proud with this win.
