Alexander Shcherbenev: "We will try to impose our hard and fast basketball"
— What are your expectations for the trip to Moscow?
— We expect to win. We've been preparing for this match, studying the opponent, their strengths, and weaknesses. We’ll do our best to return home with a victory and in good spirits. Both we and CSKA have lost once so far, but it’s only the beginning of the season, and every team is still finding their rhythm. The most exciting part is ahead. CSKA is still the reigning champion, and playing on their home court is always a challenge.
— Did you watch CSKA's game in Nizhny Novgorod?
— Yes, I actually watched the game against Nizhny Novgorod live. It was a tense match, and Nizhny came out on top in the end. Both teams deserved to win, but that day the hosts proved stronger.
— What will be the key factors for Zenit in the upcoming game?
— I think we’ll need to stop their key players: Avramovic, Trimble and Ware. They have a solid backcourt. But we have our own strengths as well, so we’ll try to impose our tough, fast-paced basketball to secure the win.
— Do you expect the game to be high-scoring or more of a defensive battle?
— It’s hard to predict. We’ll see as the game unfolds. Most likely, it will be a low-scoring, defensive game with both teams focusing on defense.
— How would you evaluate the team’s start to the season? Could it have been more successful?
— The start can always be better. But we’re still searching for our optimal play style. The season is long, and it’s too early to make any hasty conclusions. The loss to Lokomotiv-Kuban was disappointing, but I think we’ll pick up momentum and start winning every game.
