Dmitry Nikolaev: "Upcoming matches are with serious opponents"

Tomorrow, December 15, Zenit U19 will begin its performance in the second round of the preliminary round of the Children's Youth Basketball League (U19). Before the games in Nizhny Novgorod, we spoke with the head coach of the Blue-White-Sky Blues, Dmitry Nikolaev. He shared his expectations for the next stage of the tournament and talked about the team's form heading into the matches.

— What moments could you highlight from the first round of the preliminary round, which took place in October in Krasnodar? How did the subsequent work go, and in what condition is the team approaching the next stage?

— The first round was successful in terms of results. Yes, there were and still are questions regarding the gameplay. Those matches showed us what we need to work on. That's exactly what we've been trying to work on for the past two months, correcting our mistakes and making adjustments. The only thing is that due to injuries, some players dropped out after the first round. Accordingly, over the last month, we haven't quite managed to train with the optimal lineup: many injured guys, many players missed training due to illness and still haven't reached optimal condition. We'll see how that plays out.

— In addition to the CYBL championship, the Zenit U19 also participates in the Neva Basketball League. To what extent do games with opponents of that level help in the team's development?

— The Neva League provides good experience for the guys because it's already men's basketball. More experienced basketball players compete there, those with experience playing at a good level. It's a kind of transition from children's basketball to more contact-based, men's basketball. A very useful and good experience for the guys.

— The round in Nizhny Novgorod will run from December 15 to 20. What can you say about the opponents?

— This is already, you could say, a semifinal round. It turns out to be the 12 best teams, so all opponents are serious and strong. We'll see, we'll prepare for each game.

— Comparing it to last season: back then you started with two home rounds, but now you are only playing away so far. How does this affect the preparation?

— It doesn't really affect the preparation, of course, because we prepare at home anyway, so there's no particular difference. On the one hand, it's easier to play at home; on the other hand, competing away is also beneficial for the guys.