"The pace was good, that’s why we won": Popovic and Zemskiy about the victory in Rostov-on-Don

The head coach of Zenit-2, Oliver Popovic, summed up the match against BARS-RGEU (81:94) and highlighted the key factors that led the team to victory.

— What allowed you to secure the win today?

— Today we played against an experienced, very experienced team. We had some good moments in defense. But it’s true that there was a stretch where we made a lot of mistakes. Overall, we won because of solid, tough defense. We managed to score easy points in fast breaks and also hit open shots. The pace was good, and that’s what helped us win today.

— Zenit-2 led in rebounds. Do you think that impacted the game?

— Many teams grab a significant number of offensive rebounds. For us, the task was always to have three players going for rebounds. In the final moments, it seemed that we won the rebounding battle and scored many second-chance points.

— How did you find the atmosphere in Rostov?

— First of all, I’m very happy because I’m here after 20-21 years since I was last in Rostov. It’s very nice here, the atmosphere is great. I haven’t played in this arena before. The fans are fantastic, and I’m glad to be here today.

Zenit’s forward, Pavel Zemskiy, also shared his impressions of the game against BARS-RGEU. In this match, Zemsky achieved a double-double, scoring 31 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

— What helped you become the leading scorer in this game?

— First of all, I want to say a big thank you to the coach and the team. They created opportunities for me to attack, found passes, and gave me open drives and open three-point shots. I’m very grateful to them for that.

— What do you think about the opposing team? Have you played against BARS-RGEU before?

— It wasn’t the first time I played against them. We faced them last year as well. They’re quite an experienced team with many seasoned players. It’s tough to play positional basketball against them. They have far more experience than us, a young team. The only way to win is through quick transitions and fast decisions. Otherwise, it’s very hard to compete with them.

— Your next game is against SSOR Lokomotiv Kuban in Krasnodar. What qualities will help you win there? It’s also a young, fast-paced team.

— It will be all about hustle and character. We need to show which youth is stronger. We’ll do everything to win and take this victory home.