Rostislav Vergun: "Guys fought until the end"

Zenit's interim head coach Rostislav Vergun reflected on Game 4 of the 2025/26 VTB United League bronze medal series. The game, played today in Krasnodar, ended with a 91:85 victory for Lokomotiv Kuban.

— I would praise the guys for fighting until the very end. What we wanted to do differently today, objectively speaking, did not work out. We need to draw the right conclusions. We have three days. Xavier Moon put it well: everything has come down to the final game, where the emotional outcome of the season for both teams will be decided. We’re happy to have home-court advantage. We believe these games have given us valuable experience and a better understanding of what currently brings results for this particular roster. We’re trying to put that into practice on the court, and we’ll be counting on the support of our fans. I’m sure it will be a major boost and a significant source of energy for us in this series.

— In your opinion, when preparing for games like these, what matters more: tactical adjustments, mental recovery, or physical recovery?

— It’s a combination of everything. It’s definitely not easy physically to play the same team several times in a row. You can’t keep doing exactly the same thing because the opponent adjusts and also tries to surprise you. Today, objectively, they did a better job of that and deserved the win.

— Zhbanov’s absence and Karasev fouling out with five fouls late in the third quarter — how much did that affect the final ten minutes of the game, if at all?

— It affected the first five minutes, but probably not the last five. It’s hard to say. Basketball is a team sport. Especially in a series like this, you can’t keep using the same lineup and doing the same things all the time. Sooner or later, the game forces you to make adjustments. Today, objectively, things didn’t go our way. At moments when we had a chance to get back into the game, we missed three or four open shots that could have kept the deficit around five or six points. But again, the fact that the guys never gave up, in my opinion, will set the tone for us heading into Game 5.

— Both Lokomotiv Kuban and your team had significant runs today. What do you think caused the opponent’s runs?

— It came down to player combinations and chemistry. Because of Georgy’s absence, we had to use lineups today that we definitely hadn’t used over the past month. Some players were forced to play out of position. That’s not easy for anyone, regardless of their level. Of course, you want to believe what you tell them and what they execute, but in practice it doesn’t always work as effectively as you’d like.

— May I ask a personal question? You’re wearing a red string on your left wrist. Is it a wish bracelet?

— I honestly don’t know. It just kind of ended up there.

— Maybe you believe in magic?

— I believe in hard work and in God.