Trent Frazier: "We couldn’t stop them"

Zenit guard Trent Frazier shared his comments after a home loss to Uralmash in WINLINE Basket Cup Round 5 (67:81).

— Not good today. Very tough game. They played very physical and took us out of our comfort zone. I think they played very well on both sides of the court. We’ve got to be better. Obviously, we’ve got them again next week, and that’s going to be a challenge. We’ve got to be mentally focused and prepared for this team next week. We need to clean up a few things and get back on track. Just get smarter and mentally tougher on defense and be prepared.

— You’ve been captain for a few weeks now. What changed in your preparation? How do you feel emotionally? How did the decision happen?

— I think my preparation is mostly the same. Taking the captain role is an honor, and I’m taking it with pride. I think what changed is my effort. Every time I come to practice or to the game, I must give 100 percent, because once I do it, I can get respect from my teammates and coaching staff, and they will follow me and do the same. It’s about the mental aspect — coming every day, working very hard, and making sure I’m giving 100 percent of my ability.

— Zenit plays Uralmash again next game. What will be different, especially in Yekaterinburg?

— For sure we need to change our mental approach. They did a good job, like I said before. They were very tough and very physical. They played really hard on both sides of the ball. We couldn’t stop them. They made really good plays all night. We just have to be tougher. Mentally, we know what we’re going to get when we go to Yekaterinburg. It’s going to be a harder game for us. So we need to change our mindset, be mentally tougher, and be better for 40 minutes.