Andrey Vorontsevich: "Desire, energy, and fight will be key"

Commentary from Zenit forward Andrey Vorontsevich ahead of the fourth game of the VTB United League quarterfinal against Uralmash. The match will take place tomorrow, May 4, in Yekaterinburg at the DIVS arena. Tip-off is at 17:30 St. Petersburg time. The Blue-White-Sky Blues enter the game with a 2-1 lead in the series.

— Andrey, we have a crucial fourth game ahead. What can you say so far about the series and how it's evolving from game to game?

— Well, what can I say — we've taken a 2-1 lead, congratulations on yesterday's win. But that was yesterday; today we're already preparing for the next game. It's good that we're up 2-1 now. We managed to swing the momentum and advantage to our side. The opponent is tough, and playing at their place is no easy task. Even if it seemed from yesterday's game that we had a big advantage — and that advantage was built solely on good defense — there's still work to do, as we also made a lot of mistakes.

A basketball game never ends 0:0, so mistakes will happen. And, of course, we need to eliminate critical mistakes — like rebounds that let the opponent score easily, or giving up open shots. Of course, we're also focusing more on the positive aspects, on our game. Naturally, God willing, everyone stays healthy. Tomorrow we need to go out and play for the win.

— What will be the key factor tomorrow to advance to the semifinals?

— First and foremost, desire, energy, and fight, because Uralmash has nowhere to retreat. They have a chance to grab a win at home. Naturally, they'll play very physical — even dirty — basketball. The key will be how we absorb the blows and how we battle.