Vladislav Emchenko: "In Bosnia, everything will depend only on our game"
Zenit guard Vladislav Emchenko shared his expectations for the upcoming WINLINE Basket Cup group-stage match. The away game against Bosnian team Igokea will take place tomorrow, December 4, at 21:00 Saint Petersburg time.
— Vladislav, tell us how the preparation for the match against Igokea went?
— The preparation went great. After the break, as soon as we returned to St. Petersburg, we immediately started preparing in detail for the team and for our upcoming game from the very first training session. Each practice had a specific focus: sometimes defense, sometimes offense. On Wednesday in Bosnia, the main task during the evening training was to get our breath back, stretch out, and, so to speak, get the blood flowing after a difficult and long trip. Of course, we also discussed the tactical scheme, how we’re going to play, and analyzed the opponent’s strengths. So everything is going according to plan.
— Considering the travel route, did you draw any parallels with EuroLeague trips? After all, you traveled through Belgrade…
— I haven’t played in the EuroLeague yet. I hope that we’ll take part in this prestigious tournament together with Zenit in the near future! As for the trip itself, I remember that even when we traveled very far for EuroCup games, the journey still felt easier. This time we had two flights and then a long bus ride, about seven hours. But we’re not complaining — we take things as they are and keep moving forward!
— What style of basketball does the opponent play?
— Igokea, in my opinion, plays a style of basketball typical for many Balkan teams: aggressive defense. They will try to guard us very tightly, prevent us from running our plays and showing our set interactions, and try not to allow us open shots. Offensively, they run the floor. Of course, we must not underestimate them. As I have always said and will continue to say, everything will depend only on our game. We have the physical ability and the talent to beat any team, but we have to prove it on the court every game.
— What do you expect from the upcoming away games in the Balkans and the Urals?
— We’re not thinking about the game against Uralmash yet. All our thoughts are about the next game. The most important game is the next one! As our coach Aleksander Sekulic always says. So our focus is entirely on the game against Igokea. Right now, we train, we rest, and tomorrow — into the battle.
