Andrey Vorontsevich summed up Zenit’s performance at the WINLINE Basket Cup Final Four
— It seemed like the win was already in your hands. What happened? How did PARMA get back into the game?
— PARMA always plays well, and there was no pressure on them. I later found out that many of their players were dealing with illness and didn’t feel great, so credit to them — they deserved the win.
We were leading, and that shows you have to stay focused for all forty minutes and never think the game is over, even with a 20-point lead. This game is a lesson for all of us — both experienced and young players — to stay locked in for the full forty.
— Zenit played this tournament at home. Does finishing fourth feel disappointing?
— Of course, nobody likes to lose, especially in front of your home fans. We understand that we were probably in the toughest situation among all Final Four teams, coming off a long road trip with three games. You could call it an excuse, but it is what it is.
We knew that and still fought against CSKA, but we ran out of gas. Today we came out focused, everything looked good, but again in the fourth quarter we didn’t have enough. I don’t know — maybe we need to ride the bike more or eat more so we have energy for the fourth quarter. But it is what it is. Nobody likes losing. In sports, one team wins, the other loses. Congrats to PARMA, and we’ll watch the final tomorrow.
— From a basketball standpoint, how do you assess this tournament, where Russian clubs can face international teams?
— It’s great. The more teams there are, the more experience we gain as players — especially the younger guys, who don’t have the chance to play international competitions right now. To test yourself in this kind of atmosphere, against teams from Serbia, Montenegro, and other countries, is very valuable.
I hope we keep bringing in more teams to tournaments like this. Big credit to WINLINE for the organization. Any international experience is a plus, so I fully support it. Hope they continue to expand and invite more teams.
